Mark
by Seraph-Avenger
Summary: Inuyasha subconsioucly marks Kagome as his mate, and when she finds out about it, chaos is ensured. And who is the other wolf demon that knows Inuyasha from the past. InuKag, MirSan, KougaYume (OC)
1. The Mark

MARK

It had been a full week since Inuyasha had bitten her. Kagome, a little self conscious after that, didn't know what to do. He had been so confused and horrified when he had done it that he had sent her home to study for her math test three weeks before it had to be taken. She didn't know what was what anymore and definitely couldn't keep her concentration on math. It just made it worse.  
"Oh Inuyasha..." she muttered as she played with her calculator.   
She felt bad for him. He didn't know what he did, and neither did she, but he looked so...horrified. Like he was mutating into a monster right in front of a mirror. She didn't understand then and she didn't understand now. And of course, he didn't want to talk about it.  
"Kagome! You better hurry or you'll be late for school!" Mrs. Higurashi yelled up the stairs urgently and Kagome groaned. Just what she needed. Another thing to worry about. "Coming mom!" She yelled back as she dropped her calculator and picked up her bookbag.  
When she reached the steps, she bounded down them two at a time before arriving in her living room. She then ran to the kitchen were her mother handed her a piece of toast, then ran out the door with a mumbled "Sayonnara!"

Her friends were waiting outside, giggling when she came out.  
"What's so funny?" she snapped, her words muffled slightly since the toast was crammed in her mouth.  
"You, that's what's funny!" Her friend with the yellow headband, Eri, gave Kagome one of her teasing smiles.  
"And what's so funny about me?" Kagome said hotly as they walked down the many steps of her family's house.  
"Oh nothing..." Harumi stated with a giggle.  
"Kagome, are you alright? You seem really snappish lately..." Shizuko asked, her words thick with concern.  
Kagome sighed. This was what she was definitely regretted. Placing two fingers on the bridge of her nose, where Inuyasha had bitten her gently, she rubbed while shaking her head.  
"I'm fine, just really tired. I'm sorry about being snappish, it must be this headache..."  
All three of her friends gasped. "Headache? Maybe you shouldn't come to school today, your sickness might return!"  
Kagome turned red in anger. Grandpa...! She growled to herself dangerously. What did you say I had now, Gramps? Milaria? Or a curable form of Leprosy? I wouldn't be surprised! With a sharp intake of breath, which she let out in a deep sigh, she recollected herself and smiled at her friends.  
"It's okay. That...er...sickness is gone. It's just a normal headache for once." Kagome took all her friends' relieved sighs to mean that they took her excuse.  
I hate lying to them... She thought as they chattered amongst themselves. They were now at the schoolyard and, once through, the topic turned right back to what it normally always was. Boys. Kagome sighed again, but ignored the conversation.  
"So did you see the butt on that guy?"  
"Are you kidding? It was so delectable, I had trouble keeping my drool under control!"  
At this point, all her thoughts turned back to Inuyasha. Instinctively, she pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose and gently rubbed. The small red marks of his fangs were gone, but she still couldn't help touching it. It was just so strange that Inuyasha had done something like that. Sitting with her friends on the stairs of the school, she accidentally ignored them until Eri tapped her head.  
"Hey! Are you even listening?"  
"Huh?" Kagome asked as she snapped out of her revere.  
"I asked how it was going with your two-timing boyfriend!" Eri huffed, tapping her head lightly again. "You seem a little down and I was wondering if that's what was wrong."  
Kagome murmured something without even thinking, her voice slightly accusing. "He bit me." She then covered her mouth when her friends collectively gasped.  
"He bit you?" Shizuko asked as her jaw dropped almost comically.  
And Kagome would have laughed if she wasn't so horrified that she had said that. "That's not what I meant! I meant it metaphorically!" she said quickly to cover up what she said.  
"Metaphorically my shoe, Kagome! You meant it, didn't you?" Hamuri asked as she sat down near her friend.  
"No! No, I didn't mean it!" She tried to giggle; to laugh it off, but it came out sounding too high pitched. "Why would a guy bite me?"  
Hamuri thought for a moment and a wickedly playful smile creeped onto her face. "I read in a magazine that a guy bites a girl when they're having--" Eri shut her friend up with her famous tap to the head.  
"Oh, Hamuri! We know Kagome is not like that!" Eri looked at Kagome hopefully, almost pleadingly. "Right, Kagome?"  
Kagome laughed out loud now as she imagined what Inuyasha would say to that. "Of course not! Why would you think of such a thing, Hamuri?"   
The bell rang before Hamuri could answer and Kagome thanked the gods. Hamuri had an evil twinkle in her eye and everyone practically knew what she was going to say. It would have been quite embarrassing and she was glad that the bell had rung.  
  
Her first four classes went by smoothly until she reached her English class. Her English teacher, Mr. Takahashi, was handing out essays using a broken globe. Inside the hole in the globe was thirty pieces of paper, enough for each person in the room. On each piece of paper there was one word. They were each required to write a four thousand-word essay on the word they picked out of the globe.  
Mr. Takahashi stopped near a girl in front of Kagome's desk. She groaned when she looked at the word she got, "birds", and slipped the small piece of paper in her notebook before writing down when it was due. Two weeks, right before Kagome's math test.  
When the teacher stopped on Kagome's right, she lifted her hand and paused. She was actually looking forward to this and hoped she could get something exciting. Perhaps something about the Sengoku Jidai or even the Sengoku Jidai itself! Smiling slightly, she reached into the globe and grasped a small peice of paper. She then took her hand out of the globe and thanked her teacher before opening the folded paper and looking at the word.  
She gasped and read it again. Out of all the words she could get, she got the one she least wanted. She read the peice of paper over and over again before sighing and writing when it was due in her notebook and slamming it shut with the paper inside. Out of all the words, she just had to get "dog"...  
Sighing again, she waited patiently for her teacher to get done before starting to take notes. Her mind, however, was on a different matter. If she researched dogs, could she find out why Inuyasha bit her? And how would Inuyasha feel when she came back holding a "Find out About Your Dog" book borrowed from her brother Sota? She hung her head slightly at the thought. Inuyasha would tear her head off!  
  
When she returned home from school, Kagome instantly ran up to her room after saying a quick "I'm happy to be home!" to her mother. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could, tripped on the third to last one, and went crashing face first. She groaned and picked herself up, then made her way to her room.  
When her door was closed, she placed her bookbag down on the floor and emptied it. She grabbed the library book about dogs she had taken out before going home and then picked up her writing notebook. Smiling slightly to herself, she got to work on that four thousand word essay.  
Quickly thumbing through the large book, she wrote down whatever popped out at her. That is, until she came upon the mating part. She blushed slightly as she read it through and wondered for just a moment if Inuyasha did some of the things she had read in that part. When her eyes fell upon one section of that part, her jaw dropped. Was this...the...thing? She asked herself as she scanned over the words.  
"--the alpha dog would normally control the pack with stern looks, deep growls, and, if necessary, attacking them. The only exception to that rule would be when the male encounters a female that it wishes to make its mate. It would then control the female by a swift, gentle bite to the muzzle, as if telling her that she had to listen to him. The bite would normally be a controlling one, but it is also used as a form of a kiss between dogs. It is also used during mating--" Kagome shut the book suddenly and rubbed the bridge of her nose self consciously, blushing a deep scarlet.  
Kissing?! Controlling?! Was that what that bite was? Kagome asked herself incredulously, looking down at the cover of the closed book. I have to find out! And who better to ask than Kouga? She thought that over for a moment and then couldn't believe she even considered the idea. Alright, not Kouga, but Sango might know...  
She grabbed her bookbag quickly and threw some clothing in it. She then grabbed her math book, the only book she was going to bring for once, threw in her medical kit, a bar of soap, a wash cloth, some chocolate for Shippo, Ramen for Inuyasha and the others, and some matches just in case.  
When she was sure she had enough, she pulled the book bag onto her back and glanced at the library book. She turned on her heel and left it there, heading out her door and down the stairs. She took them slowly now, cautious now that she had a very heavy bookbag on her back. She made her way into the kitchen and said good bye to her mother before making her way out of the house and into the mini-shrine.  
She looked down the well and gulped slightly. She then remembered that she had forgotten the jewel shards in her room! Dropping the book bag near the well, she ran back into the house and quickly grabbed the shards before racing back down. This time, she tripped outside the mini-shrine and scrapped up her arm on the stone.   
Kagome cried out softly, but stood back up and dusted herself off. It was only a few tiny scrapes, nothing she couldn't handle, and she'd just put some antiseptic on it when she reached the Sengoku Jidai. She ran back into the well and slipped her book bag back on, then threw one leg over the side of the well. With a whispered prayer that she would land safely, she fell into the well.  
  
Inuyasha looked down at the well and sighed. He might as well go and apologize. He was still horrified that he had bitten Kagome, but he had to make up for it. He just felt so terrible.  
He jumped into the well and waited for it to respond. When it didn't, he briefly became worried, then felt the well open. Instead of him going into a different era, a small body with a large yellow book bag landed in his arms. He caught her gently, surprised, then watched as Kagome opened her eyes.  
"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise.  
Inuyasha accidentally dropped her and she fell on her bottom. She "oofed" and yelped when the pain rattled her bones, then was swiftly picked up by the same red Haori clad arms. She huffed in anger at being dropped and rubbed her nose unconsciously. Inuyasha saw it and winced before jumping out of the well with her in his arms.  
"K-Kagome?" He asked as he set her down.  
"Yeah?" She asked, all anger forgotten when he gently took the heavy book bag off her back.  
"I-I was just...er...I just w-wanted to say that...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what...happened." He whispered as softly as he could, tapping the side of her nose gently with one finger.  
Kagome froze when he said this. He was actually apologizing! To her! Perhaps she should check to make sure he wasn't drunk or perhaps had a fever! He would never apologize to her, even if Tetsusaiga's fate was thrown in there! He reached out a hand and placed it on her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes.  
"Kagome?" he asked, thinking she was still upset about it.  
"It's....it's okay...Inuyasha.." She smiled slightly.  
"Why did you come back? I thought you had a test," he asked as they both started to walk towards Kaede's village.  
Kagome shook her head. "You sent me home three weeks before I actually had to leave...and besides...I wanted to come back."  
Inuyasha looked slightly taken aback. "You wanted to come back?"  
"Yeah. It's strange, but without coming here at least for a week, everything else just seems...dull. Besides, I missed everyone!" She smiled brightly and Inuyasha blushed.  
"Everyone?"  
Kagome got the hint. He was still feeling bad and needed to be reassured. She didn't know exactly what to say, and instead just let the words fall from her mouth.  
"Everyone, Inuyasha. But mostly you." She blushed when she realized what she let slip and instantly closed her mouth.  
From beside her, she heard Inuyasha sigh in relief. She let out the breath she was holding also when she realized it had actually made him feel better that she had missed him more than the others. Inuyasha was about to say something back when Shippo flew seemingly out of no where and landed right in Kagome's arms.  
"Kagome! You've been gone for so long!" he cried, rubbing his forehead in her shirt.  
Kagome reached up and held the Kitsune, patting his head. She heard Inuyasha growl before moving away from the both of them and she wondered if he was going to say something. Too late to wonder now, he was already gone. Shippo continued to cry until she handed him a bar of chocolate that she had taken from home. He squealed in happiness, then ran towards the hut with Kagome's hand in his.  
"Everyone will be really glad to see you, Kagome!" he said as he ran with her.  
She just giggled and stopped before walking into the hut. When she made it passed the door, someone hugged her out of no where. She paused, surprised, until the hands roamed downwards.  
"Welcome back, Kagome." Miroku's voice purred from near her ear.  
She froze slightly when his hand grasped her buttocks, then smiled in relief when a nasty snarl sounded behind the monk. Kagome looked over his shoulder to see Inuyasha, red faced and angry, then she felt Miroku fall to the floor. Inuyasha had knocked him out with one swift blow. Kagome thanked him with a smile as Sango stepped over the unconscious body with a scowl before taking Kagome in a hug.  
"Welcome back, Kagome. How did the test go?" Sango asked as she released the time traveling girl and allowed her to sit near the fire. Miroku was just starting to get up with a groan.  
"Um..." She looked at Inuyasha, knowing he said something and just shrugged. "I got the times wrong. I'm supposed to take it in two more weeks, not days." She smiled at Sango. "So I came back. Er...but I have...something I want to ask you,"  
"Yes, Kagome?" She asked when Kagome hesitated.  
"This is...sort of private.." She shot a look at the two demons and the monk before taking Sango's hand and leading her outside. She wanted to make sure that Inuyasha wasn't following her, but could only trust her demon senses for she couldn't totally be sure that Inuyasha would just leave her to talk alone.  
"Now what's bothering you, Kagome?" Sango asked as they sat down deep within the forest.  
Kagome sighed and asked what was on her mind. Sango looked at her for a moment, a little confused on why she was asking that, then it clicked. Did Inuyasha bite her? She didn't bring that up, only answered her question.  
"Well...as far as I know...a bite like that could mean many different things. But it all leads to one very important concept. When a demon male anything bites a woman on her nose, they're claiming her. As in making a mark only other demons can see and they steer away from that woman if they know what's good for them. It also has a few other meanings within it too. Why do you ask?" Sango asked after she explained, a thoughtful look on her face.  
Kagome blushed very brightly and retold the tale about her and Inuyasha. Sango's eyes widened as she heard the story and knew that her assumptions were correct. Inuyasha had marked Kagome! Even if he didn't know what he did, he did do it! Perhaps the reason why he kept apologizing was because he saw that it was still there? Even though Sango couldn't see the mark, she knew Inuyasha probably could, and perhaps Shippo could too...?  
"Kagome, I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Inuyasha just claimed you as his own. Not like Kouga does..." She stopped herself when she realized what the rambunctious wolf-demon would do when he found out about this. This isn't going to end well... She thought with a sigh. Not well at all.  
"When you said that demons' can see it...does that mean Kouga can too?" Kagome asked as she self consciously touched her nose. Sango nodded and Kagome gulped. "He'll kill Inuyasha!"  
"Who'll kill me, Kagome?" a voice asked and Kagome jumped and turned.  
"Inuyasha! You know this was a private conversation!" She yelled, then stopped when she realized something. Inuyasha was human!  
Turning her head to look up, she saw that there was no moon in the darkening sky. Inuyasha had forgotten to mention that it was a new moon when she returned! Maybe that's why he was heading through the well when he caught her! A little wide eyed, she watched him huff and turn his head up snottily.   
"It's still private and besides, I was just making sure you two were okay. You were away for some time." He continued to keep his nose tilted up, but Kagome could tell it was now only just an act.  
She smiled a bit when he looked at her and she watched him go red. His eyes fell upon the bridge of her nose and she watched confusion play across his face. Where's the mark? He asked himself as he watched Sango stand.  
"Uh...Kagome? We'll finish later. I have something I want to tell you about what you asked, but it's not as important as the conversation was. Um, see you back at Kaede's." She smiled and waved before moving off.  
Kagome tilted her head down from his questioning eyes, a little embarrassed that she had been talking about something very strange to her. And still, she couldn't help but feel happy that Inuyasha chose her without really realizing it.  
"Kagome! I asked you something before!" Inuyasha said as he sat down, arms held inside the other's sleeves.  
"Oh!" She laughed nervously. "Um...it's nothing, Inuyasha. We were...er...talking about...something...?" She finished pathetically.  
Inuyasha glared at her suspiciously, then just sighed. "But you said something about someone killing me! Damn these human ears, I could have heard it before if I had my hanyou ears!" He cursed, growling to himself.  
Kagome sighed. And here she thought they might have some time to talk about the...bite. Now that she learned what is was, it was hard to keep it from Inuyasha.  
"Um...Inuyasha? I have...something to tell you...and I need you to listen carefully." She took a deep breath when she realized that Inuyasha was looking at her, waiting for her to carry on. "The...bite...from before? Do you...happen to know what it means?"  
Inuyasha jerked slightly as if he had been hit. The bite meant something, or why was she asking him? He certainly didn't know if it meant something, but then again he never really thought about it. He had tried to get it out of his head, not dwell, for when he bit her, he thought he was turning into someone like his brother Sesshoumaru. And he dreaded that thought.

Kagome wondered for a moment if Inuyasha had even heard her. He didn't seem to be trying to answer, he just sat and stared as if she had turned into an alien and he was the scientist. She didn't really like that look. "Erm...did you hear me...Inuyasha?" she asked softy and this time Inuyasha nodded. "Well, do you know?"   
"Feh...who cares?" He snorted, crossing his arms in trademark fashion. "It was just an instinct, probably had no meaning." He stood and walked away, arms still crossed along his chest.  
Kagome sighed. She knew he wouldn't have listened, no matter his curiosity. There was something he didn't like, something he wouldn't tell her. He must have thought he was trying to literally bite her instead of marking her and that must be why he was trying to avoid her at all costs. If there was one thing Inuyasha didn't want to do, it was hurting Kagome. He wouldn't do it if his life depended on it.  
Slowly, Kagome stood up and walked in his wake. She knew he was heading back to Kaede's, it was always the first place he would run to after being embarrassed. And he seemed so nice only that morning, but his mood was always undeterminably. Oh well, she still remembered that he had actually apologized to her and she treasured it secretly with a smile.  
When they reached Kaede's, Kagome scrounged into her bookbag. She pulled her hand out of the bookbag in confusion. She was sure she had placed at least one pair of pajamas in the giant book bag before she left! She was so sure of it! She picked the book bag up with both hands and over turned it, scrambling through everything and finding not one pair of pajamas nor underclothing. Was she that weirded out about what she learned that she forgot the necessary clothing? She growled at herself and placed everything back into her book bag with a heavy sigh.  
Inuyasha watched her with one eye, the other closed. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was leaning back against the wall of Kaede's hut. He could sense Kagome's distress despite the fact that he was still human and it made him uncomfortable. She kept rummaging through that dratted book bag and all the noise was keeping him up. He tried to ignore it, until Kagome glanced around, saw everyone seemed asleep, and tried to sneak out of Kaede's hut.  
"Where do you think your going?" Inuyasha growled, opening his eyes and moving to stand up.  
Kagome jumped and whirled around. "I-I have to go back home to get something!" She said, startled, a hand placed over her fluttering heart. "Geez, you scared me half to death, Inuyasha!"  
"What do you need to get?" he asked curiously, dismissing the last thing she said.  
Kagome glared at him for a moment, thinking he was going to stop her again as always. "I forgot pajamas and underclothing."  
Inuyasha shrugged. "I'll get them."  
Kagome turned deep scarlet. "You're not going through my underwear drawer, pervert!"   
Inuyasha, expecting to be 'sat', cringed and backed up a step. "Damn, Kagome! It's only clothing!"  
Kagome shook her head in exasperation, but she wouldn't give in. She didn't want Inuyasha rummaging through her room, through her drawers, looking for any sign that another guy had been there. She knew he wouldn't find anything, but the very thought of him tearing up her room wasn't very reassuring. She wanted a room to go home to, not a shredded pile of nothing.  
"I'll be back in a few minutes, don't worry." Kagome then left the hut.  
"I'm going with you." Inuyasha said gruffly, right on her heels.  
Kagome let out a frustrated little cry, but didn't argue. If he wanted to come, he was going to, unless she wanted to get into another shouting match. She doubted Inuyasha would stay even if she had 'sat' him over a hundred times. It had been something Sango had hinted at, Inuyasha becoming much more possessive of her than before. She knew that, after a while, he was going to drive her totally bonkers.  
They reached the well a few minutes later in silence. Nothing stirred, nothing made a sound. There wasn't a whisper of wind or a scurry of mice, there was just nothing. Kagome thought that seemed a little odd, a little foreboding, but she let it drop and leaned over the edge of the well to jump in. Before she could, arms wrapped around her waist and she, startled, was picked up and carried into the well.  
A gruff voice spoke from behind her. "I don't want you hurt."  
Kagome, a bit surprised and startled, just looked over her shoulder at his serious expression, and said nothing. This was so odd, this whole day, it was like she was living a dream. A really weird one, though, but way down deep, she sort of enjoyed it.  
Inuyasha's feet touched the dirt of the well in Kagome's time and he looked around for the rope ladder Kagome had placed conveniently. When he found it, he moved Kagome around so she was on his back and started to climb. This was another new for Kagome and she still said nothing about his strange behavior, just savored it until they reached the top. Though it was new for Kagome, it all felt right to Inuyasha, and he didn't notice how oddly sincere he was being. Even in human form.  
"Let's be quick, I don't want the others waking and thinking we ran off without them." Inuyasha said quietly as they made their way to the silent, dark house.  
Kagome nodded, then hushed him when she made to pull open the door. Inuyasha shook his head and pointed to the tree that lead right up to her window, the same tree he used to sit in when waiting for her to come back. He would also watch her sleep when he felt lonely, without her knowing of course.  
"Inuyasha, your not hanyou right now! And I sure can't climb a tree in a skirt!" She exclaimed quietly, though her eyes were wide in disbelief.  
"Shh! Even if I'm not a hanyou, I can still carry you!" He growled back at her, finger to his lips. "I just don't want your crazy grandfather to wake up and try to exorsize me again!"  
For a split second a smile flitted across Kagome's lips at that, but then in an instant she returned to glaring at him with her hands upon her hips. She nodded in exasperation. "Fine."  
Inuyasha bent down slightly and Kagome scrambled on his back. His hands hooked under her thighs, hoisting her up easily, then let go. He walked slowly and carefully over to the tree, careful not to step on anything that would make a loud noise and wake anyone up. He could hardly believe he was here at night, in human form, with Kagome on his back and them pretty much breaking into her own house. It seemed preposterous, but it also got him kind of excited, exhilarated. They were going to sneak in without her parents knowing! And, of course, without that old man knowing as well!  
"Hang on." Inuyasha advised Kagome before making his way up to tree, branch by branch.  
When they were near the top, Inuyasha reached over towards Kagome's window and pushed up. The window came open easily enough without making any annoying screeching noises and he gently lifted Kagome off his back. He plopped her into her room, onto her bed, before making his way in himself. He turned around and closed the window slowly behind him.  
"Grab what you need, then lets get out of here." Inuyasha muttered while sitting upon her bed with his arms crossed.  
Kagome huffed and reached over towards her drawers. She pulled open her first drawer, grabbed as much underwear and bras as she dared carry, then slipped them into a small carry bag. She closed the first drawer and opened the second, pulling out five pairs of pajamas and also sticking them into the carry bag. When the last drawer was closed, she smiled and slipped the bag over her shoulder.  
While she was going through her drawers, Inuyasha stood and made his way around her room silently. He glanced at a book lying on her dresser and quickly scanned the cover. He made out the sign for 'dogs' and his eyes grew slightly wider. What would Kagome be doing with a book about dogs? He asked himself while picking it up. He slipped it into his haori slowly. I'll have Miroku read it for me later. Making his way back to her bed, he sat again upon it and waited until Kagome straightened.  
"Ready?" He asked and she nodded. "Then let's go." He patted his haori to make sure the book would stay still before allowing Kagome onto his back.  
What the hell would she want with a book about dogs?

When Inuyasha had crawled out of the well with Kagome still clutching onto his back, they made their way carefully back to Kaede's. Inuyasha was as silent as ever, eyeing Kagome whenever she wasn't looking at him or didn't catch him. One hand clutched the hilt of Tetsusaiga while the other held onto the book beneath his haori, his mind reeling with unanswered questions. At one point, he thought about just tossing the book and forgetting about it, probably just another school book and he read what he could read wrong. Maybe it said that infernal 'math' instead of 'dog'. Yeah, probably just one of her school books. Still, even with those thoughts, he wouldn't toss the book away.  
Kaede's hut loomed into view as Inuyasha and Kagome stepped upon the grassy hill. Kagome smiled slowly when she saw Shippo come racing up the hill. He was crying out Kagome's name tearfully, asking where she was and telling how worried he had been when he awoke and she was gone. He said all this while he was still far from her, waking the entire village with his noise, but he paid no heed.  
"Kagome!" He yelled accusingly before jumping into her free arm.  
Kagome caressed his back and hugged him close. "I'm sorry Shippo, I had to go home to get my pajamas. I totally forgot about them."  
Shippo picked his head up and sniffed. "So you weren't going home again without saying goodbye to me?"  
Kagome jerked slightly. What Shippo had said was true. Last time, she couldn't find Shippo to say that she was leaving again fast enough. Inuyasha had pretty much picked her up and tossed her down the well to 'keep her safe'. She knew he didn't want to say it, but he was trying to keep her safe from him and that made her cry when she got home. Inuyasha had thought he would hurt her...and that was the last thing he would ever want to do. He would probably give up the Tetsusaiga before he hurt her.  
"No, Shippo, I wasn't going home! Oh, I'm so sorry about last time, I should have said something!" Kagome cuddled him some more while continuing to make her way to Kaede's.  
"Sango and Miroku are up.." Shippo said muffledly.  
"Feh, you probably woke them up with all your noise." Inuyasha growled hauntily from behind them, arms now crossed.  
"Shut up!" Shippo picked his head up off Kagome's shoulder. "At least I can say I missed Kagome!"  
"What are you talking about, fox-kit?!" Inuyasha suddenly appeared right behind Kagome, pressing his face right up to Shippo's.  
Kagome sighed. She really didn't want this now, not with Inuyasha as a human and right in the middle of the somewhat silent village. She also didn't want to 'sit' Inuyasha, she thought they were over the whole 'sitting' thing.   
"Inuyasha, Shippo-"  
"I'm talking about the way you mopped all around the well and wouldn't say to Kagome that you really missed her! I heard you speaking to-" Before anymore words could come out of the fox's mouth, Inuyasha grabbed him by the throat and throttled him.  
"You. Little. Fox. Piece. Of. Shit!" He growled word for word.  
Kagome turned around and glared at him, hands clenched at her side. Poor Shippo was turning a delicate shade of purple and his large eyes were almost popping from his head. Inuyasha didn't notice the death glare Kagome had insured on him, just continued throttling the fox-kit and uttering angry words.  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome started warningly.  
All fighting ceased to exist. Inuyasha continued to hold Shippo by the neck, but he had allowed the fox kit some more air room. Shippo's face turned from purple back to red and looked over a Kagome pleadingly. Inuyasha growled not so menacingly since he was human and threw Shippo back into Kagome's arms before stomping off towards the nearest tree. Kagome sighed, but held the cursing and crying Shippo close to her while she continued her way towards Kaede's.  
When the hut stood before her, she pushed back the bamboo curtain and slipped in. Shippo was right, Sango and Miroku were up. Sango was gently stroking Kirara while Miroku sat against the wall, staring into the fire. Both were silent. Shippo jumped out of Kagome's arms and made his way happily to her book bag.  
"Can I have some of that cho-co-late?" Shippo asked, delicately stressing the word chocolate.  
Kagome nodded and he yelped in delight. He opened the front most compartment and ripped through it before finding the bars of chocolate. He grabbed one before retreating into a corner and unwrapping it.  
When Kagome saw Shippo was content, she made her way over to her back and placed the clothes into the larger compartment. She smiled happily and closed the book bag. It didn't seem as if she would get any sleep tonight, so why put on the pajamas? With a sigh and a small yawn, she leaned back against the wall near Sango and gazed into the fire herself.  
Miroku turned his eyes to her, smiling his sly smile. "Well, well, where did Kagome and Inuyasha run off to this late at night?"  
Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. "I went home to grab some clothing I left behind and Inuyasha insisted on coming."  
"Oh? Where's Inuyasha now?" Miroku asked, faking slight surprise.  
"He's outside, sitting in a tree."  
"Well then, I might as well keep him company..." Miroku sighed lightly and stood up. "Unless you girls..?"  
Sango looked slightly disgusted and shook her head. "We're fine, go on."  
Miroku gave them a slightly hurt look before leaving the hut. Sango glanced over at Kagome at her side and rolled her eyes. Kagome didn't do anything, just gently stroked Kirara and continued to stare into the fire. Inuyasha's strange behavior wouldn't stop attacking her mind, he just seemed so much  
Sango stared at Kagome. Something has to be bothering her...maybe it has to do with the bite? Sango opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when Kagome beat her to it.  
"Inuyasha is acting so strange." Kagome started, looking away from the fire and towards Sango. "He just seems so....nice. So concerned and actually speaking his concern. I've never really seen him this way."  
Sango smiled lightly. "I believe it's all part of the Marking. Just wait, I bet it'll be worse when he's in hanyou form."  
Kagome thought about that, a finger to her chin. "Your probably right. And if it's worse...I'll never be able to go home without twice the arguments....but I can't help wondering. Kikyou. What's he going to do with Kikyou?"  
Sango sighed. "I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see."  
This made Kagome feel slightly agitated. "Yeah...wait and see..."  
  



	2. The Aftermath of Reading is Never Good

Disclaimer: Nope, it seems Inu's not up for grabs right now...sniff

Miroku slowly made his way up to the tree Inuyasha was hiding in while the girls talked. He held his staff carefully in one hand and sat down at the base of the tree. He could see Inuyasha's red haori flicking slowly in the wind from here and knew the human half-breed wasn't that far up. Probably because, last month he fell out of the tree when he was human and hurt himself badly. Well, at least he learns. Miroku thought, chuckling at the memory.  
"What are you laughing about, priest?" Inuyasha's gruff voice asked from the branch above Miroku.  
"Oh nothing, just thinking about the past." Miroku answered. "So...where'd you and Kagome run off to? Kagome told me that you went to her house with her to get clothes...was that all you did?"  
He heard Inuyasha scoff and smiled to himself. If there was one way of getting Inuyasha to talk, it was aggravating him.  
"We went to get clothes, nothing else you pervert." Without warning, Inuyasha jumped off the branch and landed in front of Miroku.  
Miroku studied Inuyasha carefully. Inuyasha looked quite anxious with a hint of anger behind it. He also had a hand in the front of his haori. The hand moved about until it found what it was looking for, then brought the finding out of the shirt and plopped it into Miroku's lap.  
"Read it to me," he ordered gruffly, sitting down in front of Miroku and gazing at him intently.  
Miroku always knew Inuyasha couldn't read and wasn't about to say anything about it. Even in human form, Inuyasha was a deadly contender. Slowly, he picked up the book and read the cover.  
"Where did you get this, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked flatly, all playful and sly tone gone.  
"From Kagome's room."  
"Did she let you borrow this?"  
Inuyasha thought for a moment. "Not really."

He soon became impatiently and cracked his knuckles in front of the priest's face. "Just read it!"  
Miroku nodded and pulled open to a page Kagome had placed a book mark at. For a moment, Miroku started to read the page to himself, until Inuyasha cracked his knuckles again. Miroku's eyebrow went up so far it disappeared into his hairline.  
"Are you sure you want me to read this?" Miroku asked quietly. "I don't know why Kagome would be reading this though..."  
"Read. It." Inuyasha growled, his voice growing deadly.  
"Fine, but I don't understand. Maybe you will. It starts off with 'The alpha dog would normally control the pack with stern looks, deep growls, and, if necessary, attacking them. The only exception to that rule would be when the male encounters a female that it wishes to make its mate. It would then control the female by a swift, gentle bite to the muzzle, as if telling her that she had to listen to him. The bite would normally be a controlling one, but it is also used as a form of a kiss between dogs. It is also used during mating..."  
Inuyasha didn't hear the rest, he just stared at Miroku with his eyes wide and jaw dropped to the floor. So Kagome was reading up on the bite! And this is what she found?! But why didn't she confide in him? Oh, wait, she did... He thought to himself guiltily. Grrr...but she didn't have to go to a book like I was some...some regular....dog! Anger surged through him and he grabbed the book back from Miroku.  
"I have to go talk to Kagome, now!" Inuyasha yelled before racing back towards Kaede's.  
Miroku shook his head and stood up. He had the weirdest feeling that this definitely wasn't going to end well....  
  
Inuyasha tramped through the doorway of the hut relentlessly, almost taking the bamboo curtain off in his wake. Kagome and Sango were still talking, but stopped instantly when they saw how angry Inuyasha was. Kagome, however, looked at the book he was holding. How did he get a hold of that? She asked herself exasperadetly, a hand going up to her chin.  
"Kagome, we have to talk!" He roared, walking up to her and taking her by the arm.  
"Oww! Inuyasha, that hurt!" she cried and felt his anger flicker slightly into concern.  
He let go of her arm and walked out of the hut, pausing to make sure she was following. Kagome looked back at Sango for a moment, then followed Inuyasha all the way to the Goshinboku where he whirled around suddenly to face her.  
"What is this?" He asked, shoving the book in her face.  
"It's-It's a book." She answered.  
"A DOG book!" Inuyasha said accusingly and angrily. "What were you trying to do, read up on my behavior with a DOG book?! Like I was some type of regular LAP DOG or maybe a PET?!"  
Kagome stared at him, shocked and at a loss for words. He was yelling at her, pretty much screaming at her because of a book he shouldn't have seen in the first place. It wasn't as if she was looking up on his behavior, it was just something she had to do for school.  
"I-Inuyasha...it's n-not what you think at all!" Kagome said when her voice decided to come back to her. "You've got it all wrong!"  
"I got it all wrong, me? Your the one looking me up like you could find out what I was thinking!" Kagome could now hear that he was sounding hurt as well as angry.  
"Inuyasha...it was for a project I got at school...not about you." Kagome said carefully, but she didn't think Inuyasha heard.  
"You can try to look me up all you want, but you'll never find anything! I can't believe you tried to look up dogs because I bit you-" He stopped short and looked down at the ground.  
"I-Inuyasha..."  
"Take your book and leave me alone!" He yelled suddenly, throwing the book at her feet and racing off.  
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, wait!"  
Kagome watched him until he couldn't be seen anymore, then looked down at the book. It looked innocent, lying at her feet, innocent and dirty. It was just a book, a book for a project she had gotten, and Inuyasha had found it. Kagome dropped to her knees in front of the book, picked it up, and threw it as far as she could into the woods.

Kagome sat in the spot Inuyasha had left her at and stared at where he had ran off. This was all her fault, she shouldn't have left the book on her dresser. If she had just brought it back to the library, Inuyasha wouldn't have become curious and take it. But, why did he take it in the first place?  
After a while, Kagome stood and turned around. She was at a loss for what to do, at a loss for anything. If she went back to Kaede's, she'd be bombarded with awkward questions, mostly by Shippo. If she followed Inuyasha, she'd probably get herself lost or maimed by a demon. The latter of the two made her slightly jumpy and she decided on Kaede's as the best choice; besides, she had to speak with Sango.  
Slowly, she made her way back to the hut, Inuyasha haunting her mind. This was just the way things went all the time between them, one minute they could be on the verge of telling each other they like each other, then the next minute they're arguing. The hut came into view once more, except this time it looked more foreboding than welcoming. Maybe they'll just let me sleep tonight, Shippo especially.  
But when she entered the hut she found Shippo, Sango, Miroku, and even Kirara asleep. Smiling sadly, she pulled out her blanket, forgot her pajamas once again, and laid down near Sango and the dieing fire. She'll talk to Sango tomorrow.  
  
The next morning was normal as ever. Sango was the first to rise, followed by Miroku. Once they woke, they got ready for a day of traveling. Shippo was normally the last to wake, but this time woke before Kagome herself and gently slipped out of Kagome's arms. The movement caused Kagome to wake in turn and also caused her to flip out. She couldn't believe she slept so late!  
Grabbing her things, she threw them into her book bag before closing it and tossing it over her shoulder. She tipped wildly for a moment, then hooked her other arm through the loop and regained her balance with a relieved sigh. I wonder if Inuyasha's waiting outside... She thought sadly, making her way out of the hut with a slightly forced goodbye to Kaede.  
Kagome glanced around at her friends outside. Inuyasha wasn't among them. Feeling her heart grow heavy, she let out a sigh and forced a smile for them.  
"Well, I guess we should try to find Inuyasha before we go anywhere..." Kagome said softly.  
Miroku nodded. "Yes, though I doubt he's very far from here. I can still feel his aura."  
Sango glanced at Kagome questioningly. She had known that Inuyasha wasn't there in the hut with them that night, but she didn't know the reason. Kagome should tell me later, if she wants to. Sango told herself while hoisting her Hirakotsu onto her back.  
Kagome caught the glance and smiled slightly. She knew Sango was as curious as ever, she always was curious with what goes on between her and Inuyasha. Sango just never voiced her curiosity before, and she thanked her friend for that. But where was Inuyasha? Normally he would be right with them, no matter the fight they got into.  
"There's no need to go looking for me, I'm not a wimp you know." A gruff, growling voice said from behind them.  
Kagome whirled around and faced the now hanyou Inuyasha. He didn't look at her, just stared at Miroku, deliberately averting his eyes from anywhere near her. She felt hurt, but she had to think how Inuyasha must feel. With a hand placed against her chest, she turned back around and nodded to the others.  
"Well, another day of searching for the shards."


	3. Yume

It took two hours for them to encounter any type of demon at all, and this one rushed them alone. They seemed to have wandered into it's territory and it was extremely angry at them. It didn't have a jewel shard, so they took care of it quickly and left without a word.  
It was the next village that struck them curiously. Most of the people were running around screaming, while others fell with no sign as to what struck them. Inuyasha sniffed the air while subconsciously moving in front of Kagome.  
"I smell cat." He growled.  
His hand instantly went to the Tetsusaiga and drew it. He glanced back at the others while Sango, now in her battle outfit, and Miroku, hand clutching the prayer beads around his right arm, stood slightly behind him to his sides. Kagome took her bow and strung up an arrow, but didn't see a target to hit at.  
"Where are they?" Kagome asked curiously, glancing around.  
Inuyasha scoffed sourly. "They're hiding right now. I think it's spears they're throwing, something like that. Freakin' cats."  
Kagome looked up at him. "Then how do you expect to fight them?"  
Inuyasha glared back. "I think a DOG can win fight against a cat, or have you not read about that yet?"  
Kagome felt the anger rise and her eyes watered with it. "No, in fact, I DIDN'T!" She screamed at him before turning on her heel and marching into the woods.  
Kagome had a thing for getting herself into trouble when she was mad, and today was no exception. As she made herself go farther and farther away from Inuyasha, she became closer and closer to the cats Inuyasha had smelt before. The same cats that were now killing the village and the same cats Inuyasha was having a slight problem with.  
"Geez, Inuyasha is still the same jerk as befo-"  
A rather wicked looking cat demon jumped out of the bush just then and shut Kagome up rather quickly. The cat looked somewhat like Kirara did, large with white fur and fire streaking from it's paws, but Kagome knew the difference. This cat had large, black eyes and fangs dripping blood. With a mighty roar it lunged at Kagome. She shrieked and grabbed an arrow, but was too slow. The demon knocked her over before she could get the arrow strung upon the bow.  
The cat-demon pinned her down under it's huge bulk, claws already a centimeter into her skin and drawing blood. She screeched with her small breath. (Not much of a screech.)

The weight itself was crushing her and, with every second, it was getting harder and harder to draw breath. The cat's fangs were barely centimeters from her face, so close she could smell the rancid, metallic stench of blood.  
Once she was sure the cat-demon would either rip her head off in a single bite of it's huge fangs or crush her to death, a figure flashed by and the weight was instantly thrown away from her. Kagome opened her eyes and drew a single, precious and rather long breath. She heard a nasty slashing noise and the cry of a dying animal before she caught a glimpse of who had saved her.  
She had expected it to be Inuyasha who had come to her rescue, not the person standing over the dead carcass of the cat-demon. Though it didn't really surprise her that he was there at all. Kouga kneeled beside her, still growling slightly, and wiped the cat-demon's blood off his hands with Earth.  
"Are you alright, Kagome?" he asked concerningly.  
He looked her over quickly before finally landing on her face. Kagome had nodded her head rather quickly even though her shoulders were still dripping blood. But when she came eye to eye with him again, she saw that he seemed rather confused. And he was staring right at the bridge of her nose.  
"K-Kagome.." he stuttered.  
That was enough for her. She knew what was going to happen next, and she also knew she wasn't going to like it. Kouga, a wolf-demon, saw the mark upon her nose, the mark Inuyasha himself had planted. And, as far as Kagome could tell, Kouga was growing less and less confused and more and more enraged.  
"Kouga, don't.." she started, but a noise behind her cut her off.  
"Kagome! Are you alright?!"  
With a tremendous crash of debri, Inuyasha leapt from the underbrush and looked around wildly. He knew he smelt Kagome's blood and he came as fast as he could, concerned and enraged that someone would touch his Kagome. But when he saw that Kagome was sitting on the ground and Kouga was above her, his rage grew even worse. What the hell was Kouga doing? Trying to kidnap Kagome again, I bet!  
"You despicable mutt-face!" Kouga growled slowly, taking small baby steps towards Inuyasha. "How dare you mark MY WOMAN!"  
Inuyasha snorted and turned his face down to the ground. "Feh, she was never your woman to begin with!" With a tremendous snarl, he threw his head back up and drew his Tetsusaiga. "And don't you dare call her your woman!"  
Kagome stared in shock between the two teenage, hormone driven demon and half demon boys, but her look lingered a bit more on Inuyasha. He was trembling now with his rage, the sword itself shook in his hands. Kouga was in the same state, though not as bad, and he shook his fist right in Inuyasha's face.  
"I laid claim to her first, I was just waiting for her to accept it! How dare you take the lead and mark her! You shouldn't even be half-demon, you're not worth it! You let Kagome almost get killed, that's why she's wounded! How can you call yourself a worthy mate?!"  
That was the last straw with Inuyasha. Dropping his sword, another shock to Kagome, he leaped at Kouga with his fist poised back and socked the wolf demon straight in the jaw. Kouga flew backwards and smacked into a tree, ripping the tree's roots straight out of the ground and crashing with it. Inuyasha didn't wait for Kouga to get back up, he grabbed the wolf-demon by the neck and hit him again. This time, a little disoriented, Kouga managed to land somewhat on his feet and glare at the still trembling Inuyasha.  
Kagome didn't know what to do. If she tried to jump between them, she might be hit in their rage. If she let them have at it, they might either destroy one, or each other, during their brawl. It didn't matter what she would do anyway, she was still too shocked to move.  
"Geez, boys will be boys, eh Kagome?" A voice called out from behind Kagome.  
Both boys stopped and stared. A small, petite little figure stepped out from the bushes with her hands on her thin hips and her face set in a stern, but playful glare. Kagome looked over at this newcomer and her eyes opened even more. The girl seemed maybe five years older than Kagome with long, streaming white hair French braided and deep green eyes. She was wearing an outfit similar to Kouga's, only the fur was white-ish silver and she wore no leg warmers. With a friendly, though rather toothy, smile and neared the fighting boys and tisked again.  
"You boys should really stop, I mean you haven't even taken notice that cat-demons have surrounded you." She swept her arm around the forlorn clearing, pointing out all the glowing eyes.   
Inuyasha didn't take any notice in the cat-demons, just continued to stare at the girl. The girl caught the stare and shook her head.   
"Haven't I taught you anything, Inuyasha? It's not polite to stare," she said with an eyebrow raised. "I know it's been awhile, but, geez."  
Kouga was too busy looking around at the multiple eyes than at the girl and what she was saying. He then looked back at Kagome. His whole body drooped slightly when his eyes lay upon the mark and he forced them to look away. Without conviction, he growled and glared at the demons.  
"Well, we might as well rid ourselves of these cats before we continue our fight, Inuyasha."  
The girl shook her head. "No more fighting. Kouga, I want to talk to you later about something. Inuyasha, you too. But, for now, let's leave the boys to their battle with the demons, okay Kagome?" The girl walked up to Kagome and smiled happily.  
She reached out a clawed hand and Kagome took it hesitantly. When the girl noticed her hesitation, she laughed merrily.  
"Don't worry, Kagome, I don't bite...hard." She then picked Kagome up and looked back at the others. "Have fun, we'll meet you in the village when your both done."  
With that, she took off. Inuyasha stared after her before looking back at Kouga. Stepping over to his forgotten sword and picking it up, he shrugged his shoulders.  
"Might as well do as she says.."  
  
When they finally settled down into the village, the girl let Kagome onto her feet and took a step back to glance at the damage. Practically the whole village had been destroyed and most of it's occupants lay in heaps. She shook her head and sighed heavily.  
"Cat-demons do more damage than most other demons." She said softly before turning back to Kagome. "By the way, my name is Yume. I'm a wolf-demon from the High Mountains."  
She bowed slightly to Kagome and, since Kagome was always for the polite ways, Kagome couldn't help but bow back. This demon's cheeriness seemed almost catching and Kagome found herself with a small smile on her face despite the tragedy around her.  
"Why are you here, Yume? I'm not trying to sound rude, but you just seemed to appear and...well.." Kagome let the sentence end and looked up almost pleadingly.  
Yume chuckled lightly. "I know Inuyasha, or, well, knew him. I sort of took care of him a couple of decades ago, after he lost his parents and was almost killed by a pack of exiled Dogs." She shrugged. "I don't know if that answers your question, but it took me this long to track the little mutt down and the first day I set eyes on him, he's fighting! I was slightly surprised, until I saw that he was the one who marked you and Kouga was trying to deny it." Her eyes darkened slightly.  
Kagome blinked at her. "You took care of Inuyasha when he was younger?"   
Yume nodded and her cheeriness returned. "Of course! He was so cute when he was younger, after he healed that is. He was always bitter and sour, but he was still such a sweet heart way down deep."  
"Kagome! Hey, Kagome!"  
Kagome turned and was almost knocked over. Shippo clutched tightly to her chest, smiling up at her and calling her name one last time.  
"Where'd you run off to, Kagome? And who's this?" Shippo asked curiously, sniffing the air. His eyes grew wide. "W-Who are you?"  
Yume chuckled again and gave him a fake, terrifying glare. She then laughed again when he ducked behind Kagome's shoulder.  
"My name is Yume and I'm not going to hurt you, fox-kit! I was just kidding!" she said with a playful tilt of her head.  
Shippo's head reappeared over Kagome's shoulder and peered at Yume once again. He sniffed the air delicately and, finally seeing it was safe, went back to hugging Kagome. While Kagome cooed him, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara appeared walking up to them, smiling sadly. Dirt clung to their clothes and Kagome guessed she was late on helping the burial.   
"Hello, Kagome." Miroku said slowly.  
Kagome saw the red hand mark on his cheek and smiled to herself. When she turned to look at Sango, she saw that her friend's smile seemed a little more forced than usual. Her smile grew slightly. Poor Sango, she almost always gets the worst side of Miroku.  
"Are you guys alright?" Kagome asked, though she saw there was nothing wrong with them.  
"Yes, we're fine. But your shoulders are bleeding, are you alright Kagome?" Sango asked concerningly and dragged Kagome away to tend to her wounds, leaving behind Shippo.  
Yume looked up at Miroku and raised an eyebrow. Miroku said nothing, but stared at her. They stayed silent and still for another few moments before Shippo, under the intense stress of silence, started to jump up and down.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Miroku, no funny stuff!" he yelled and Yume glanced down at the fox-kit.  
"Funny stuff?" she asked amusedly.  
Shippo snorted. "Yeah. He likes to get rather 'touchy' around girls."  
Miroku's hand went straight to his forehead with an exasperated sigh. "My secret is never safe."   
Yume laughed and winked at Shippo. "Don't worry about me. If he gets...erm...'touchy' as you put it, I'll make sure he doesn't have a hand to touch with later."  
Before Miroku could retort, Inuyasha appeared behind him and growled shortly. Miroku just turned around and welcomed Inuyasha, though didn't get a word out when he noticed Kouga. Kouga had his arms crossed and an enraged expression still plastered to his face. Inuyasha looked quite the same, though their were more blood stains on him than Kouga.  
Yume walked up to Inuyasha and grinned. "Take care of the remaining cats?"  
Inuyasha nodded and uncrossed his own arms. Kouga stuck his nose up in the air. Yume clapped her hands together and smiled happily.  
"Good! Well, while we're here, why not rest a while? Both of you seem rather tired."  
"I'm not tired!" Inuyasha snipped defensively.  
Yume raised an eyebrow, though her smile remained. "Fine then, we'll just sit and chat!"  
Kouga glanced at Yume, eye's furrowed in curiosity. This wolf girl seemed good natured and all, but, despite her size compared to Inuyasha, she seemed to have the most control over Inuyasha. Kouga saw the way that Inuyasha avoided her eye's at times and laid his ears flat against his head, two signs of submission. He would have grinned, if he wasn't still feeling way over the edge.  
"Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha asked with a sniff of the air.  
Yume jerked a thumb over at a rickety hut. "Sango pulled her in there to treat her wounds."  
"Yeah, the ones she wouldn't have gotten if only Inuyasha stayed with her." Kouga muttered sourly.  
Yume's head snapped towards Kouga and a growl started in her throat. "Kouga, stop. Now. People make mistakes."  
Kouga just huffed and turned his back on her. She growled again, then shook her head and turned back to Inuyasha.  
"I wouldn't go over there yet, the wounds probably needed the removal of clothing. I don't think Kagome would like you barging in without her shirt on, would you?" Yume said with a grin.  
Inuyasha blushed scarlet at the thought and turned his head to the side with a scoff. He could only guess at how many 'sits' Kagome would place on him, or worse she could argue and end up hating him. He blinked a minute. Feh, why should he care if she hated him anyway? He kicked dirt before leaping away without another word. The very thought of Kagome ever hating him seemed to hurt more than any wound he ever had inflicted upon him.  
Kouga watched as Inuyasha ran off and made to follow him when Yume stepped before him. She had her finger up and her eyes down with a grin upon her face.  
"We're do you think your going?" Yume asked as she raised her eyes and gazed into Kouga's.  
Feeling her as more than a threat, he crossed his arms and glared into her eyes menacingly. "I'm going after Inuyasha to beat the pulp out of him!" He answered quietly, though his voice dripped poison.  
Her finger waved in his face and her eyes never wavered. "I don't think so. Come with me, I want to talk to you."  
"Like HELL I'll follow you!" Kouga suddenly snarled, bristling.  
Yume didn't bother flinching or even moving, she just intensified her glare and snarled back at him. Her finger fell from the air and landed in a fist near her sides. Miroku, who had thought about going to see if Kagome was without a shirt on, stopped in his tracks and stared at the two having a stare down. Shippo hid behind his legs and peeked around slightly to watch. Kirara just trotted to a new spot and clucked lightly, as if disapproving of the stare down.  
"I just want to talk to you, Kouga." Yume's normal, cheerful voice now dripped of venom.   
Kouga was still bristling. "I don't want to talk to you, Yume, I just want a piece of that coniving little dog-shit Inuyasha!"  
Yume cuffed him savagely. Kouga, slightly stunned, hit the ground and rolled to a stop near Miroku's feet. Miroku took a few steps back and watched as Kouga stood and made like he was going to hit Yume one when Yume got right up into his face.  
"Your not going to hit, maim, or kill Inuyasha! Don't you see? You can't win Kagome over now, she's too far gone from you! And what if you kill Inuyasha? Do you think Kagome will ever forgive you? If she didn't want him, she wouldn't have the mark still upon her nose! Her heart belongs to him and they have a bond you won't even begin to comprehend! All Inuyasha has to do is finish the marking, and it's all settled!" Yume snarled, her nose barely inches from his.  
Kouga was trembling now and rage ran through him like fire. "I won't let him finish the marking! He'll be dead before that!"  
Yume thought about cuffing him again, but didn't make a the move to do so. Instead, she smiled and the growling stopped. Her eyes continued to linger on his before she shook her head and broke eye contact. Kouga stared at her, a little surprised at her reaction, then grinned triumphantly. Thinking he won the stare-down, he made to leap over her and tear after Inuyasha.  
"If you try to break the bond, I assure you Kagome will not speak to you again. If you kill her Inuyasha, you can forget anything about any type of friendship. Hell, she might even think about either killing you or taking an arrow herself. Just a little advice. I won't stop you anymore, so, if you want to continue after Inuyasha, be my guest. Just remember what I told you and think about it." She then made her way over to the hut Kagome was sheltered in.  
Kouga stopped as the words rang clear in his head. It was true, he was beyond her now. If she really didn't love Inuyasha or belong to him, the mark wouldn't be there. His whole body sagged once again and he turned around to watch Yume walk off. Miroku stared at him sadly before making his way to the hut as well. Alone and forlorn, Kouga ran the opposite way Inuyasha had went, letting out a mournful howl as he entered the forest.  



	4. Kikyou & A Lesson on Dogs

OMG huggles to Hpfreak, Aura Black Chan, Alix MM, DemonDragon, Titan6, uniquechic, Purplefr0g, FushiYugiFan80 for your reviews! 'Specially to Purplefr0g for pointing out the stuff about spaces—thx! I'm glad people like this fic so much!

Inuyasha sat upon the branch of the tree he had chosen, fehing his way into his thoughts. He had just learned about him marking Kagome, just learned what his heart had done without his mind knowing. But was he really free to love and make Kagome his when Kikyou still walked the Earth? He wasn't sure, but he was sure his instincts needed a good kick in the ass.

With a heavy sigh, he turned his gaze up to the clear blue sky. Kagome. She wouldn't leave his mind alone. He was marking her as his, something he never really thought about with Kikyou. With her, it was always some kind of crush. Was it a crush, or was it really love?

They both needed someone to understand them back then, Kikyou being alone in her priestessthood and Inuyasha being the half-breed he was. They needed someone to love them, maybe that was all it was. Then why was Kikyou back to take him with her? Because she was still alone, even in hell.

Frustrated, he punched a good sized crater in the bark of the tree. If Kikyou hadn't returned, he wouldn't be in this fix! He would have had Kagome as his a long time ago! There would have been no loose ends, no nothing, he was sure. He stopped. He knew it now, there was no denying what he just thought. He would have had Kagome as his a long time ago? So that meant he did like her, more than liked her? No, he was still attached to Kikyou.

When Kikyou died, he had died, and he had been revived by her reincarnation. When they had died, Inuyasha was sure the bonds between them were broken. Or any bond he had with her was broken, he wasn't sure the other way around. Someone else had come into his life, someone his dog side already chose before his human side could comprehend it.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Inuyasha breathed.  
His head hurt. Damn did his head hurt. Kikyou was in the past, she was dead and should have stayed dead while Inuyasha had been revived. Kagome was now, she was here, alive and full of life. He would have to tell Kikyou, he would have to and then send her away to hell. But how? He already felt guilty about the whole betraying thing and he didn't want her to leave this world with more betrayal on her. He didn't really think that would bode well.   
Even though he wanted more time to think about it, Fate had more sinister ideas in mind. The stench of dead souls and bones as well as Earth filled Inuyasha's nose and he stiffened."Hello, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha almost fell out of his tree, scrambling wildly to hurry up and land on solid ground. One hand in front of the other, piss-ant. He berated himself sourly. Carefully now, though definitely not slowly, he grasped the last branch and let go. Graceful and cat-like he landed before Kikyou.

Technically dead, though still walking around. That was Kikyou. In her body made of bone and ash, she wandered the Earth with one purpose. To take Inuyasha to Hell with her, to take him away and leave her reincarnation as lonely as she had been. Misery enjoyed company and Kikyou was no exception.Her lips peeled back into what could be said as a small smile. Her eyes pierced straight into Inuyasha's, cold yet cunning, the eyes of a rabid fox.

Inuyasha had once been warned by Yume, though she had said it jokingly at the time he could tell that she meant it, that the worst type of animal is a scorned and betrayed woman. They were more dangerous than any other animal that walked the face of the Earth, and the look Kikyou was giving him verified that statement. Her look alone was worse than most things Inuyasha had gone through.

"K-Kikyou.."   
Inuyasha had a whole speech ready in his head. He was sure of every word, every action, and as long as she followed his 'plan', the whole thing would go over easily. Well, the speech decided to take a hike and leave him stranded, 'see you later, bye, your on your own' it seemed to say. Kikyou could do that to you; one look and you forget anything you were about to say.Kikyou waited patiently for Inuyasha to mutter something, anything at all, though what she was secretly waiting for was the right time to kiss him. One kiss, one touch, and he would be back under her spell. As long as her reincarnation stayed far away, she would actually pull it off.Slowly, step by baby step Kikyou advanced on him, speaking sweet nothing's as she neared. Inuyasha watched in slight astonishment as he felt his heart tug at her viciously sweet words and almost gasped at how quickly his mind succumbed. So Kikyou still had her hand around his heart, she still had one last binding to him and it seemed to be one of the with me, now. Today, we can end it all and spend..." If she said anymore, Inuyasha didn't hear.His mind was reeling. She was getting closer, but he didn't want to push her away. In fact, he wanted to embrace her and listen to those soft spoken words. He wanted her to kiss him, simple as that. He would have done anything to just let his mind continue to wander without a care, allow Kikyou to just drag him wherever she wanted him to go. It didn't matter where, as long as she continued to talk to him...Kagome! What about Kagome! His mind suddenly snarled at him. His eyes snapped open and his body grew rigid. Yeah, what about Kagome? She would be devastated it I just up and left with Kikyou! Besides, you were going to tell Kikyou to back off, remember? A growl started to form in his throat and his golden eyes, now both alert and aware of Kikyou's snaking hands, trained themselves on Kikyou's cold, solid grey ones."Kikyou."   
She stopped moving, her lips stopped speaking. He had spoken her name commandingly, and she had acted accordingly. Inuyasha took several small steps back just so he was out of her reaching distance. The last thing he wanted was for her to set her spell on him again and him not being able to resist.He spoke clearly now, the speech that had waved bye-bye to him came crawling back. Everything he had thought of saying before returned and escaped his lips smoothly and easily.

Mostly because he knew something, something had clicked in his head. This was NOT Kikyou. Kikyou had a heart before she died, this was just a reanimate shadow following him around. Kikyou's soul, and her kindness, belonged to Kagome now. But Kagome is Kagome, Kikyou is Kikyou, and Inuyasha could now easily understand it.

"I am not under your control anymore, nor are you the keeper of my heart. Everything that we had before...before Naraku happened...died the moment you sealed me and the moment you left this world. You no longer hold claim to me," Inuyasha watched Kikyou and watched her stiffen, though her face was completely blank. "Someone...someone else now holds claim to my heart, holds claim to me. So, please, Kikyou, just...go back. I want you to rest in peace, just as our love rests now. It's...over, Kikyou."For a long time after Inuyasha spoke so blandly, Kikyou just stared at him. Neither of them moved, neither breathed, it was one of those moments that seem to last forever. Moments before Inuyasha thought the silence would kill him, Kikyou stirred out of her reverie and sneered at Inuyasha.  
"It's not over, Inuyasha. Just wait." she said no more, but had her soul gatherers bear her off into the darkening sky. "Just wait."Inuyasha watched her go solemnly, though anger bit at his heels. Kikyou just couldn't let it go and rest. He sort of figured she wouldn't take it easily, but he didn't expect her to threaten him. His foot dug into the ground and he kicked it as he had done in front of Yume.Yume! He completely forgot about her! Turning his back on the tree that had kept him company, he sped away into the woods, back towards the masacred village where the cats once ran rampage.  
  
Yume neared the broken looking hut and knocked easily on the wall. She was afraid to knock any harder than that, the hut looked ready to fall over at any given minute. Slightly uneasy, she knocked again and sniffed the air. Kagome's scent and Sango's scent was strong here, so she was sure they were still inside.She grinned when she heard a shuffling noise and Kagome's voice call out "come in!". So she had been correct, Kagome had needed to shed that shirt she wore. She peered over at the priest that had followed her and saw him peeking through one of the holes in the hut.

She raised an eyebrow inquisively at him and when he noticed, he grew surprised. He half expected her to shove him into the ground, but she just shook her head and walked on by. "Don't let Inuyasha ever caught you doing that." She adviced amusedly as she walked by. "He will kill you, priest."

Miroku stared after her and shook his head slightly. Phew, close, he thought. I was so sure she would grind my head into the dirt! He placed his hands in front of him and prayed a silent thanks before walking in after Yume."Kagome?" Yume asked questioningly, pulling the curtain back. "Can I talk to you?"  
She found Kagome sitting patiently in the middle of the room with a forced smile on her face. This place was filled with the stench of blood and Yume slightly wrinkled her nose at it. Inuyasha was going to be furious, even if he won't show it. She thought slightly, snorting dog like."Sure." Kagome answered quietly.  
"Outside? Away from the others? It's about...Inuyasha." Yume suddenly felt quite uneasy, a feeling she wasn't quite used to. She was always outspoken and confident in herself, but talking to Inuyasha's chosen mate just made her seem so...well...uneasy.Kagome stood up instantly. She glanced down at Sango and saw her friend nod slightly. Kagome smiled, stepped lightly over her bag, and stood directly at Yume's side. Yume was slightly impressed. For a human, Kagome was taking her wounds rather lightly. She barely saw a glimmer of a grimise on the girl's face. Smiling a tilted smile, she motioned for her to follow."I just want to get out of ear-shot. I can't tell where Inuyasha is, the smell of your blood is kind of blocking his scent. I doubt he'd take too kindly in me teaching you a few things." She winked playfully at Kagome, though the wink seemed a tad bit mischevious.Kagome couldn't really understand this new demon. She had figured mostly all demons were surly and had bad backrounds they never really got over. Kouga was the one who completely befuddled her, but this demon was just as bad. She was clearly carefree and enjoyed everything she had, which seemed to be what she had on her back. She knew Inuyasha from when he was a child and was as mischevious as a three year old. But, somewhere below the outgoing attitude, she could feel some type of supressed emotion. It could be rage, sorrow, anything, but Kagome was sure the outer personality was only a defense for a much deeper one.They treaded deep into the forest, passing numerous trees, pushing away underbrush that scraped and pulled at Kagome's skin. Yume was leading, slashing at most brambles to help Kagome through as well, but she seemed to miss a few, or Kagome's luck was just bad today and she kept stepping into more brambles.

When Yume finally stopped within a clearing with a large oak tree twisting it's way up to the sky, Kagome's legs were marked with small x's. She bent down and pulled a hitchhiker from her skirt before allowing Yume to scoop her up and dump her on a branch thick enough to support them both.

Yume watched her intently, though patiently. "The reason I've really brought you here was to answer questions, and, if possible, teach you a few things. Maybe tell you about myself some more."  
This was all weird for Kagome. She was sitting in a tree, far from her friends, and speaking with someone she had just met. Though, this person did know Inuyasha and if Inuyasha respected her."Can I know more about you before we talk about any mark?" Kagome asked slowly, cautiously, though she didn't have to tread lightly.

Yume chuckled and nodded merrily.  
"Of course! Why not, I mean I did just appear, right? I owe you an explanation." Yume took a deep breath and put a finger to her chin. "I guess I might as well tell you where I come from and my family to begin with. I'm pretty sure you can say I'm like Inuyasha. My family are one of the most powerful Wolf Clans in the High Mountains, my father a very powerful demon. He rules with an iron fist, but he has a kind heart. Eh, I'm supposed to have power as well, but I hardly use it. Hell, I hardly acknowledge it."

"There's not much left to tell about that. My mother never really loved me, she saw me as more a threat than a daughter and tossed me out of the Clan. My father disowned her a few days later and was going to welcome me back in, but I was already accepted into a lower Clan and I wasn't about to be kicked out again," Kagome saw her eyes cloud slightly, then they twinkles back to life. "Eh, enough about that. Now about Inuyasha.... Now there's a story. I found him a few days after his mother had died of heartbreak, poor little mutt. By then I was on my own, scrounging up a place to call home, and I literally stumbled over his dirty tiny body. He had multiple wounds about the body, wounds I never thought a demon his age could take! But he was a strong little mutt.""It took three hours for me to be able to even pick him up, he was so defensive. And he had a wicked bite, let me tell you!" She let out a little sigh, though smiled. "I thought he bit my hand clear off! But he was so young and he had lost a lot of blood, I couldn't let a tiny wound like that get in the way of me helping him. So I finally was able to pick him up and bring him back to my den. It took four days of treatment for him to finally regain what had to have been himself." She shook her head slightly, at some long ago memory.

"He was so insecure about himself, even at the young age he was at. He didn't really speak to me, just growled and grunted his approval or dissaproval at a meal or question. After a while, he warmed up though. At least, he started to speak to me for once. Short little bursts of speech, not much, but enough."

"Then, one day while off trying to hunt the way I had taught him to, I heard him snarling from a few meters away. I ran to him and found him fighting the demon he swore was the one that hurt him before. Geez, that kid had a lot of spunk in him! The demon was one I hadn't seen on my short lived travels, but man was it big. And Inuyasha was wrestling with it as if it were nothing more than a playful weasel. Sure he was being cut and bruised, but he was mostly winning the fight! Before long, though, I finished the fight for him."Yume leaned back against the bark, closing her eyes. "It was like that for a few short years, then one day he slid off. I was off hunting, I remember catching the pheasant and feeling pleased that it would make a good dinner for the both of us. When I came back to the den, Inuyasha was gone. He took his haori and just, left. He didn't leave a note, any type of sign that said he was going out, nothing. So I waited a little while, I think two months, for him to return and when he didn't, I left the area in search of a different home. That was the last I remember of him." Yume shrugged now and peeked open an eye. "A rather long story, hum?"Kagome was too busy digesting this information to answer straight away. Yume had spoken clearly, but she had a knack for talking too fast, Kagome had soon realized. So Yume had known Inuyasha half his childhood life, yet he had never told her about Yume before. Never even mentioned the fact that he was taken care of by a she-wolf-demon. Well, he never really spoke much about his past, unless he was referring to Kikyou and they're betrayal.Finally, Kagome nodded in reply to her question.  
"So you do wish to become his mate, to finish the marking?" Yume asked so blandly, Kagome almost fell off the branch.  
It was a question that had crossed her mind. Yes, she was sure she wanted to be Inuyasha's, she had somewhat always wanted to be his. But then there was the Kikyou thing and she wasn't totally sure Inuyasha saw Kagome for Kagome. For a moment, Kagome stayed silent under the intense green gaze of Yume, then she opened her mouth and let the words flow out as they would.  
Or, more correctly put, let the word flow out."Yes." She said simply.  
Yume instantly sat up straight with that same mischevious smile Kagome was starting to get used to plastered to her face. "Then maybe I should give you some advice. I'm not totally sure what a Dog would want, but I'm sure of what a Wolf would and they're not all that different. You ready for a little lesson on Dogs?"Kagome's heart fluttered at the thought. Yep, she knew she was ready, but she felt like she was reading that book again. She felt like Inuyasha would find out and all hell would break loose again. But it also made her feel slightly exhilerated. This was something she would never ever learn from a textbook and she suddenly had the urge for a notebook and a sharpened pencil. She direly wanted to take notes."Okay, here's for number one. Dogs will be Dogs, no matter what. The male is supposed to be dominate, one reason why Inuyasha is always shoving you around or trying to act all menacing-like."  
"I don't...I don't really get what your saying." Kagome admited quietly and Yume chuckled."I didn't think you would. I'll put it more simply; Inuyasha sees you as the alpha, and he doesn't believe that's right. His human side may not care, but the dog part of him doesn't like the fact that he's not dominate, that he doesn't have control in your group. So he resorts to trying to be terrifying to you, trying to get you to submit without harming you physically. Rule number one is: be a bit more submissive. Allow Inuyasha to have over where you go. Just yes him to death, that'll make him happy.""Second way of being submissive is to let the arguments go his way. I don't know if you argue yet, though I'm sure you have, just let him have his way. Or at least, give him his way as close as you can make it. Third way, don't make eye contact with him unless he permits it. That is one big no-no. Dogs and Wolfs see that as a direct threat, a direct challenge. If your staring sternly into another Dog or Wolf demon's eyes, they will attack. In your case, he'll attack with words and more stern looks, stiffening and growling."  
Kagome stared at her. This wasn't exactly what she had expected."So, in other words, I have to let Inuyasha have his way all the time?" Kagome asked softly, her face turning slightly red.Yume saw the blush and gave a hearty, merry laugh. "Not all the time! Just let him have his way a little, maybe once in a while, and at other times take your own place. Kagome, I know this probably goes against your ruling, seeing how you pretty much are the leader of your group, but this is the only way to get to his dog side. It'll help finish his decision on continuing the rest of the marking. Of course, there are more ways." She grinned toothily.  
Kagome's heart was beating uncontrollably in her chest. This was what she wanted, this was what it was going to feel like to be a woman. She would have control over Inuyasha, without literally controlling him like with the 'sit'.

She would be able to work magic she had the moment she was born, woman magic, the control over men without using a stern word or a angry glance. Her face flushed at the thought, completely flushed a bright red.

"Dogs and Wolfs have a few places along their body that, if done correctly, could make the person puddy in your hands." She winked. "Slide a finger across Inuyasha's jaw or plant a kiss, whichever you choose, and Inuyasha won't be able to ignore it. It's just an instinct ever Dog and Wolf had in them, it kind of makes a flare of desire go through them. But this can only happen if the woman doing it has been accepted as his mate."

A grin spread across her face. "In other words, a woman like you. You've been marked, he's already accepted you. Also, rub behind his ears, I'm sure he'll enjoy that."  
Kagome nodded. "I know about his ears..."  
Yume's grin grew wider. "I thought so. There is also a small place on the back of his neck that could make him fall asleep rather peacefully if he'll allow it. Place a finger correctly there and he'd drop his head, chin on his chest, and fall right asleep. Again, this can only be done if he accepted you, which, again, you don't have to worry about."

Now Kagome really felt her heart pounding and the blood rushing to her face. This was all rather confusing, rather fast. But Yume seemed to think she could pull it off, and she was sure she could to. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she felt a deep thrill. She wanted to test all this out, to maybe even see if she could make Inuyasha fall asleep easily by her touch, everything. It was just a feeling, but it kind of scared her as well as made her feel exhilarated."That's about it. Oh, wait." She sniffed the air lightly. "Good, your not wearing anything fake."

When she saw the confused look on Kagome's face, she chuckled. "Fake smells, I mean. Anything that interferes with your natural scent isn't that appealing to Inuyasha's nose. He likes your natural scent better than any fake smells you may have.

It tells him a lot about you, and, if you'll use your imagination, I'm not exaggerating when I say your scent gives away everything about you." She winked, then yawned lightly. "Wow, we've been away for quite awhile. I guess we better head back."

She picked Kagome up easily and dropped out of the tree. With a small nod of her head, they walked off, back into the direction of the village. Kagome didn't realize everything, she felt kind of clueless when Yume had started, but now her head was spinning with thoughts. She felt slightly dizzy as well."All right, Kagome? Take it well?" Yume asked, looking back. Kagome nodded. "Good, just apply it and you'll be in buisness."Kagome's head suddenly cleared and a single question exploded into her head. "Yume?""Yeah?""When you talk about continuing the marking, what do you mean? There's more to this marking thing?"Yume suppressed a giggle. "Oh man, there is so much more. Just you wait, Kagome. But it'll be fun, if you make it that way."And Yume fell silent once again as they trudged through the underbrush, leaving Kagome to her thoughts. As the many hundreds of questions flooded her mind again, another one seemed to break through and Kagome was once again addressing Yume."Have you ever been marked, Yume?"Yume stopped and took a deep breath. She then turned around slowly and gave Kagome a rather sad, piercing gaze with an equally sorrowful smile.

"Yeah, once. But that was long ago." Without giving more information, she trudged on with Kagome following behind.  



	5. Another Appearance By

A/N: Okay, thank-you to all the peeps who reviewed Mark. ï And I just wanted to add I'm gonna do another chapter to 'Memories' so that it's a happy ending!

Disclaimer: Jeez I never knew how annoying this is...Inu = Not Mine!

Inuyasha leapt into the village clearing not all that gracefully and cursed himself when he fell into a heap at the base of a burnt hut. He instantly leapt up and continued his way, sniffing around for the hut Kagome and the others were in. His ears were flicked to attention, catching hushed voices upon the slightly stirring wind. It was the voice of Shippo and Miroku.

A grin spread across Inuyasha's face as he ran towards the hut in which the voices escaped from. Miroku had always subtly teased him about his trouble with Kikyou and Kagome, and now Inuyasha had escaped her grasp for once, something the priest never thought possible.

But he wasn't about to tell him and that thought wiped the smile off his face. This was private, between Kikyou and him, maybe between Kagome as well. That is, if she would listen to him after the arguments they had been through.

"Feh, she should listen. It's about Kikyou." He muttered to himself before pushing open the curtain of the hut and walking in.Kagome wasn't there and neither was Yume. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara were sitting around a small fire, chatting about nothing important to him. But when Inuyasha had entered, all talking had ceased to exist. Inuyasha didn't take any notice, just fixed his eyes on Sango and growled."Where's Kagome?"Sango shrugged, though passed a secret smile to Miroku. She had told Miroku what was going on between Inuyasha and Kagome, though not every detail, and had warned the monk to keep his mouth shut.

Shippo had been asleep until Inuyasha walked through, so it had been alright to speak about it. Inuyasha didn't miss the secret smile and growled even deeper. "She went with Yume to talk about something. She didn't say when she'd be back-"

"Hey guys, we're back!" Yume said with a toothy grin, cutting Sango off in mid-sentence. Yume saw Inuyasha and smiled. "Welcome back, Inuyasha! Oh, and I doubt Kouga will be trying anything anymore, just so you know. I fixed him."

Yume sat down away from everyone and crossed her legs Indian style, watching with curious eyes. Kagome looked at Inuyasha the exact moment Inuyasha looked down at her and their eyes locked. Kagome instantly remembered what Yume had said and brought her eyes away quickly, glancing down at the floor with her hands clasped in front of her.

Inuyasha looked slightly perplexed, but didn't speak anything of it. Instead he sat down near Miroku and motioned for Kagome to sit as well. She sat easily beside Sango.

Yume smiled inwardly. Good girl, she thought in reference of Kagome. You learn quick, I'll give you that. And you apply what you learn easily too. "Good night, everyone." Yume said with a grin and an exaggerated yawn.  
Everyone gave her their good nights as she left the hut and went in search of a tree. She didn't much feel like she belonged at the moment and didn't want them to feel she was forcing her way into their group. Instead, she'd just wander in slowly, watch how

Kagome and Inuyasha turn out, then leave on her merry way. She sighed happily and, when she found the perfect branch, settled upon it and fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
During the night, Inuyasha woke to find Kagome shivering. The sleeping bag she had brought with her, the one he thought was a little too comfortable for his tastes, had been kicked off her body probably during a nightmare.

Inuyasha felt a stir in his chest and, before he knew what he was doing, he walked over to her silently and pulled the sleeping bag back over her. He then sat up a few feet away from her and tried like mad to get back to sleep. But being so close to Kagome's scent made him feel both comfortable and uncomfortable.

Soon, he drifted off. It didn't take him too long and he had a dreamless sleep. He actually awoke fully rested and ready to take on anything. That had never really happened to him, he had always woken grumbling for more sleep though knew he was never going to get any until that night came.

When he heard the first sign of the bird chirping, he actually opened his eyes for the first time to greet the morning instead of opening his eyes to despise it. Now he wondered why.

An arm was wrapped securely around his chest and something warm and fluffy was draped around the length of his body. He could feel heat radiating from somewhere close by, very close by, and the sound of breathing was unmistakable. His eyes snapped open and focused themselves quickly.He yelped. It was a very doggish sound, but it was appropriate. Somehow, in the middle of the night, he had crept into Kagome's sleeping bag! The arm that was wrapped around him was Kagome's, the face he was so close to was Kagome's sleeping face, and the heat was her heat from the close proximity of the sleeping bag.

What in the SEVEN HELLS?! He thought to himself frantically. He wasn't about to admit to himself that he was actually enjoying the closeness, he just want to get up before Kagome woke up. Prying her arm off of him slowly, he crawled out of the sleeping bag.

It took longer than he thought, for Kagome kept groaning and moving each time he moved and the fear of her waking and seeing him sleeping with her...she would probably take it all wrong. That made him move quicker and he was out of the sleeping bag and standing up faster than a lightning bolt could strike the ground. His face was flushed a brilliant red and he couldn't seem to catch his breath, his heart was beating way too fast.  
He heard someone snicker from within the confines of the hut and his head snapped in the direction.

The monk was awake and his eyes were amused as well as sly at what he had just seen. So Inuyasha really was getting closer to Kagome... The monk thought, then smiled.  
"Good job, Inuyasha," he mouthed.  
Inuyasha was infuriated, though rather embarrassed, and his face flushed even more. He thought about ringing the monk's neck, but the thought was squashed when Kagome rolled over and muttered in her sleep."...Mmmyasha..."

Inuyasha froze. This was a little too much for him. He ran out of the hut quickly with the sound of Miroku's slight snickering still in his ear. Once out the door, he slammed into someone and bowled them over. He heard Yume's annoyed growling and then listened to her start laughing. "What's wrong, see a ghost?" She asked and Inuyasha growled at her."No!" He yelled before racing off to sit in the same tree she had just abandoned, but not before she caught sight of his red face.

"Geez, that baka." She said with a grin as she walked into the hut. "Hello everyone, good morning!"

Yume watched Inuyasha and Kagome the entire morning. There seemed to be something different in the way Inuyasha walked by her, looked at her, or even spoke to her. A secret smile spread across her lips when she saw the blush forming on Kagome's face after Sango spoke quietly to her. Yume's ears didn't catch the words for there was too much going on, but she guessed it had something to do with Inuyasha and Kagome.

When they were all packed up and ready to start a new day of shard hunting, Yume walked up to the small group happily. Inuyasha regarded her as he normally did, with his ears down and a small welcoming growl, but she just smiled back.

Guessing since she was a rather new member of the 'pack', she would probably either stand in the very back, or be the look out way up front. Either way, she knew they were the most dangerous spots and would be quite happy with either of them.

But there were two things that surprised her that day, two things she didn't really expect until quite a few days later in the very least. The first one wasn't that great of a surprise, for she had expected it sooner or later.

Kagome had asked Yume if she had seen any demon with a few extra ordinary powers. Yume shrugged. A lot of demons were like that now a days. She had answered and Kagome had looked a little crestfallen so Yume suggested the mountains. The next shock came right after that. Kagome turned to address Inuyasha and asked him if they should go check it out or if they should try a different way. Inuyasha almost fell over, but Yume saw him draw himself higher and grin slightly.

"We'll go to the mountains. If there's nothing there, we'll head back down." Inuyasha answered haughtily.  
Kagome nodded with her eyes watching the ground. Again, Inuyasha seemed slightly perplexed that Kagome wasn't looking up at him, but he wasn't about to say anything with everyone else watching him.

Yume could only stare, though, at Kagome with her jaw hanging slightly ajar. She hadn't expected Kagome to readily apply her submission; Kagome had always struck Yume as a very independent person with a very strong will. Eh, I bet Kagome's having a little trouble with this, but I can't say much. I don't know much about humans, Yume thought to herself as they walked along. Maybe I had her all wrong.

Inuyasha seemed to get a bit full of himself and drew himself up to his full height, walking ahead of everyone casually. No one really noticed the change but Yume and Kagome themselves, watching him with raised eyebrows.

Kagome even hid a small snicker. Inuyasha reminded her of a boy who had just been promoted way ahead of his class and was trying to act all cool about it.

Yume just shook her head with a smile. Inuyasha was always like that; give him an inch and he'll take dance upon that inch, howling in victory.

As Yume had thought, she was placed in the back. Inuyasha himself was the one who growled at her when she tried to go up and talk to Kagome and she just grinned at him and walked back. Hey, if Inuyasha wanted to act more alpha than should be on the first day, then let him. She was pretty content in the back anyway; she'd get the first chunk out of any demon cowardly enough to pick a fight with her.It took four hours for them to reach the base of the mountain, four hours of nothing but forest. Not a demon stirred, nor was there an animal around brave enough to fight them.

Yume could feel them letting their guard down slightly and growled to herself. Only her and Inuyasha stayed fully guarded, ears alert, nose twitching, senses prowling, eyes wide open and flitting around.

The humans between them seemed to relax a little more, even the little fox-kit was snoozing peacefully in Kagome's arms. Yume had to smile slightly at that, but she thought none of them should keep their guard down. The mountain she had addressed them too had demons that were much tougher than the ones in the valley.

A breeze turned in the trees and Yume instantly became more alert. It carried the stench of bones and ash. Her senses tingled horribly and she shuttered very, very slightly. Whatever it was, she didn't like it. Her eyes focused front wards and she saw that everyone was standing on edge, especially Inuyasha and Kagome.

So they could feel, and smell, it too, Yume thought, a snarl starting to rumble in her throat.

"Kikyou." Kagome whispered.

Yume could smell her slight anxiousness and fear. Okay, so Kagome knew what was coming. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Yume thought to herself, but her intuition told her better. And a wolf's intuition, especially a female wolf's intuition, was always right. It wasn't a good feeling she had, more like a rather nasty one. Something bad was going to happen.

"Inuyasha!"The voice sent a chill through Yume's soul like an electric shock. With eyes thinning, she watched an arrow fly from the bushes almost too fast for her quick eyes to follow. It snatched Inuyasha from the ground and tossed him easily into a tree. The arrow held fast, despite Inuyasha desperately trying to get free.And now, a figure could be seen floating silently out of the bushes. Yume could barely stand the stench and halfway had her hands to her nose before she put them down again and let out her contained snarl. It erupted from her throat savagely. This dead woman, this walking dead woman had another arrow knotched in her bow and the arrow was pointed at Kagome.But that wasn't the only thing Yume noticed. Behind this dead woman Kagome had called Kikyou were more than a hundred or so demons. These demons came in all different shapes and sizes, with different attacks and weaknesses. So her bad feeling was pronounced. This woman and her demons were the bad feeling.Inuyasha scrambled for reach of the arrow. It wasn't spelled to place him asleep again, thank Kami, but it had enough Miko power in it to burn horribly. He whimpered and reached the snatch the arrow again. His right arm, where the arrow was pierced, wouldn't move and he had to resort to his left. Still, the arrow seemed just a hair out of reach; his nail tapped it harmlessly. All the while, his eyes watched Kikyou with rage and watched the arrow trained on Kagome with even more rage."Stay away from her, Kikyou!" He growled out savagely.  
"Stay silent, Inuyasha, or I will spell you to a new tree." Kikyou warned him quietly, the arrow trained on Kagome quivering."KIKYOU!" Inuyasha yelled out, snarling the name with as much rage he could place into his voice.Yume watched as Kagome finally jumped into action. She grasped an arrow and firmly knotched it, grasping both string and arrow and pulling it back as far as she could. She didn't want to let this arrow go, but, with Inuyasha stranded and the others ready for battle as well, she was ready to get rid of anything that stood in her way. Besides, Kikyou was dragging along a few Shikon shards and she wasn't about to let them get away.Kagome and Kikyou stared at each other ferociously, both with each other's arrows trained on them. No one moved, hardly anyone breathed except for the hundreds of demons still waiting for an order to attack. The two woman seemed to be suspended in time and place, staring each other down with their strings taunt, awaiting the first to make a move. Finally, Kikyou spoke."There is only room for one of us in this world, girl." As she spoke, she released the arrow. 

Whoot; my first cliffy!  



	6. In The Cave

A/N: Thanks to all those who reviewed: inuyashafreak32 (lol my friend has that same habit!), DragonDemon000, titant6, PisxiePam, sailor-saturn550, purplefr0g, sabster, nomad, AlixMM. Huggles to all u peeps who took the time to review; thx so much!!

I'm very down right now since I officially have the cold (it's still summer, for god sakes!!!) and I'm not allowed to go ANYWHERE! so I'm beyond ticked. /Sigh/ Well more time for fanfics, huh? Anyways enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: C'mon, say it with me....Inuyasha's not mine!

Yume's muscles were ready for this. While Inuyasha yelled and grasped the arrow in his hand, Yume leapt in front of Kagome. The arrow pierced her armor despite it looking rather fragile and lodged itself deep within her chest cavity. Inuyasha was standing protectively beside Kagome by then and watched Yume hit the ground with the arrow shaft sticking out of her chest. His eyes were wide and she could smell his rage before she blacked out.

Kagome released her own arrow the moment she was sure Yume wasn't going to receive hers as well as Kikyou's. The arrow, unlike Kikyou's, became enveloped in a brilliant pink light as it flew the few feet between the two women. Kikyou watched as it grew nearer and no fear entered those dead eyes, she just waited patiently until the arrow lodged itself into her own chest. The arrowhead pierced the jewel shards and flung them clear through, three of them, and they landed lightly on the ground. Besides that, nothing else happened. Kikyou seemed immune to the power within the arrow.Kagome could hardly believe she had just shot Kikyou, her rival for Inuyasha, her ancestor. But it had come as instinct; shoot the shooter, become the predator or become prey. Still, as she ran to get the jewel shards, her mouth had dropped open and her eyes grew wide in shock."K-Kikyou.... how...dare you!" Inuyasha growled and his hand went for Tetsusaiga."Now," Kikyou said simply.Kagome watched as the hundreds of demons flew past Kikyou. They filled her whole field of vision, they seemed to block out the very sun and brilliant blue sky.

As they approached and surrounded them, Kagome had the feeling of being in the middle of a tornado. Demons were tearing at her clothing, ripping the bow out of her hands, grabbing at her hair and wrenching her head back. She cried out loudly, but she was sure her cry was being mingled with others.

Miroku was going to suck them up in his Kazaan, but Naraku's bees were amid the swirling mass of demons as well and he couldn't risk it. Sango was whacking as many of them as she could, but the demons just seemed to be replaced by ten times more, filling in the way she figured they would escape from.

All of the demons were scratching at her and biting her. She let out her own cry of pain as a rather nasty bite appeared on her shoulder, tearing away her battle suit as well as the outer dress she wore.

Shippo stood huddled behind Sango's legs. He felt completely useless, he had tried every trick he knew and none of them were fazing the demons. The demon's aura itself was getting to him, making him feel hopeless as well as helpless, and he could feel them trying to get a good latch on any part of his body. Terrified they were going to suck him in, he let out a horrible little screech and clutched onto Sango's leg tighter.Inuyasha finally had Tetsusaiga out and fully transformed, but the demons were too close for him to use the Kaze No Kizu. He could hardly sense the wound in this swirling mass and all of his friends seemed to have disappeared in it.

He couldn't see any of them except for Kagome, who was being torn up right in front of him. His anger, and fear that Kagome would die, made him all the more adrenaline rushed, all the more enraged.

Yume was starting to wake, slowly and painfully, but she was starting to wake. She could feel all the demons around her, knowing at her unconscious form, but mostly she could feel the arrow's power pulsating slightly in her breast. With a growl, she broke of the shaft and pushed the arrow out of her body through her back. She repressed a yelp, then opened her eyes and threw the arrow as far as she could. What she saw made her eyes widen.Everyone was somewhat scattered throughout the funnel of demons attacking them. They were hunched over, using various weapons and limps to shield themselves from random attacks. Each person was bloody and their clothing tattered, but they continued to shield and fight as much as they could.

Inuyasha himself only held his sword out with one hand, pressing Kagome to his chest possessively, and using the sword whenever a demon tried to get their claws on Kagome.

A thought came to her suddenly. If this was a funnel, then there should be an opened up, towards the sky. Her head snapped back, exposing her neck for the briefest of moments, and looked hard at the sky. It seemed the funnel went on forever, but she could see the opening where a small piece of blue sky could be seen. Demons passed across that hole randomly, but they didn't have the smarts to close it. That will do, she thought to herself."INUYASHA!" She yelled over the noise of the demons.

Inuyasha looked over at her, squinting in the gloom. She used a single clawed digit to point up at the sky and he bent his own head to look. His expression grew surprised and then went right to grinning triumphantly. Yume made a 'give me' motion with her hands and Inuyasha nodded. He made his way quickly over to her and handed her Kagome, then spoke close to her ears so she could hear him.  
"Get everyone out, I'll do the rest!"

She nodded in reply and made her way over to Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara carefully. If she leapt towards them, the demons would surely grab her and pull her into the funnel. She shivered lightly at the thought, more in the thought of slaughtering them all than fear. When she neared Miroku and the others, she pointed up and then towards her free arm and her back. They nodded, but rejected the idea of her taking them.

They figured they'd be more weight and they might not make it out. Yume nodded and watched as Sango first, Miroku second, and Shippo third climbed onto Kirara's back. Miroku motioned to take Kagome, but Yume shook her head. Inuyasha was trusting her with Kagome, Yume would make sure she got out. He nodded and looked back at Sango.

"UP!" Sango ordered and Kirara roared back in reply.  
Yume watched for a moment as the large cat demon sat back on her haunches, front paws leaving the ground, and pushed up with her hind legs. She flew straight up very quickly and, the demons stunned momentarily that their prey was leaving, she made great progress. They left the funnel with little opposition, but Yume knew her trail would be a little tougher. The demons were now facing her as they spun dizzily, waiting for her to make her move."Well, this is it." She said to Kagome, right in her ear.  
She clasped Kagome tighter to her and gave Inuyasha one last look. He nodded back with a grin, clasping his sword with two hands. He then yelled that they should get as far away as physically possible the moment they got out. Yume nodded in reply before preparing to spring.

Demon hands, claws, and tentacles reached out to snag her but she just snarled and slashed the limbs off angrily. She sprung the moment she felt no opposition, as hard as she could push off the ground, and watched as the patch of blue sky grew closer and closer while Inuyasha grew farther and father away. The demons were now screeching their anger and causing the funnel to spin ever closer to her, pressing in and grabbing at any part of her body they could. Determination filled her features and she used each demon stupid enough to get close to her as a leaping pad, jumping on their body and pushing off for extra speed.

One demon latched onto her leg and bit into it hard. She roared in pain, but continued her upward retreat, stepping on one last demon and pushing off one last time. By then she was greeted by blinding light and a blue sky. She immediately slashed the demon's head off attached to her leg, but still the head would not let go. And she was a little too high to worry about that.

The ground was rising to meet her and she knew her leg would take the ground rather painfully. Damnit! She growled to herself, flipping in mid air to further escape the tunnel and landing very hard on a high branch in a tree. The demon's head took a chunk out of her leg as it came free and she howled in pain again. Kagome looked at her in concern, but Yume was growling. She stood up despite the pain and blood and went on leaping.  
She encountered Kirara a few yards down and used her free hand to motion them to continue. When they didn't understand, and she grew nearer, she started yelling to them.

"GO! Come on, GO!" she yelled, leaping past them from tree top to tree top.  
They followed behind the speeding figure with mingled curiosity and confusion. Yume wasn't acting like they knew her to act, she was a totally different person right now. Hurting as they were, they continued to follow as fast as Kirara could go, always a few feet behind Yume herself.

Finally, their curiosity was rewarded. A blinding light filled the area and hundreds of demons screamed their final scream. A good chunk of the forest was disintegrated to their right, a few meters away from Yume herself, and both Kirara and Yume stopped to watch. They must have ran five miles away as fast as they were going and it still wasn't far enough. The mountain's forest they were sitting upon now was almost desecrated when Inuyasha used the Wound of the Wind."What the hell was that?" Yume asked, stunned. "Did Inuyasha's sword do that?"  
Kagome nodded slowly, painfully in her arms. "Yes, it's called the Kaze No Kizu. The Tetsusaiga...it holds that power. Inuyasha only just learned how to do it."Yume still looked completely stunned. Her look would have been comical if there wasn't the blood running down her face. Kagome watched her expression turn from stunned to surprise then quickly turn to rage. Quickly, she forced Kagome behind her and stood up on the branch she had chosen to rest on."That bitch is back," Yume growled.Kagome instantly understood what she was talking about. So the Kaze No Kitsu hadn't desecrated Kikyou when Inuyasha had released it. And the way Yume was snarling Kagome guessed she was still pissed about the arrow in the chest. Of course, Kagome would be rather angry too, except for the fact that if an arrow went through her like it went through Yume, she'd also be rather dead."Yes, I am back, Demon." The cold voice went right through Yume's ears and her growl worsened.  
Kikyou showed up a few seconds later, her Soul Gatherers helping her float up to the high branch, and faced Yume. Yume wanted so badly to reach out and just rake her claws through that woman's dead flesh, but she was just out of reach. Kikyou raised an eyebrow at her and spoke through slightly clenched teeth.

"I'll be seeing you again, Demon," she said quietly before floating on her way.  
Yume snarled her reply and glanced back down at Kagome. Kagome didn't look back up at her, just stared at her open palms. Her clothing was ripped to the point that barely kept her decent and slashes were seen all around her body.

Nothing too major, as far as Yume could tell, but there were a lot of cuts and bruises and one small bite mark. That reminded Yume of her own and looked down at her abused leg. It was gushing blood all right, but she knew she'd be fine in a few days time. For the moment, she needed to find something to wrap Kagome up with and ignore her own pain, her own wounds.  
She looked up at Miroku and saw him taking off what remained of his outer rob. "Hey, Miroku! Throw that down here!" she yelled.

Miroku looked at the purple robe and then back down at Yume. He shrugged and tossed it down. Yume caught the fabric easily and stretched it out to look for any larger holes than it already had. When she saw only one near the edge, she sighed and wrapped the rob around Kagome."There. Do you think that'll be alright until you can get back to your bag?" she asked and Kagome nodded.Yume saw that none of the demons had gotten to her face and smiled lightly. Not a cut touched her smooth cheeks or forehead, no blood was found there. All the cuts seemed to be on the rest of her body instead. She guessed that the demons had grabbed at her hair though for there seemed to be some tuffs missing.  
"Yume? Are you alright?" Kagome asked, noticing the blood running from both her leg and chest.Yume nodded and waved her hand. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. Demon, remember?" she asked with a smile. "These wounds should be gone in a few days. Besides, I barely feel them!" Now there's a white lie. She thought, grimacing slightly and turning it into a smile."Kagome!"All heads turned to watch as Inuyasha landed on a branch close to Kagome's, concern etched into his face. He couldn't see any of her wounds, they were hidden by the monk's robe, and that made his concern escalate. How bad were they? He asked himself, sniffing the air, but it didn't help. The air was filled with everyone's blood, including Kagome's."How'd it go, Inuyasha?" Sango asked from above them, still sitting upon Kirara.  
Inuyasha didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached over and tapped Kagome's shoulder. She shook her head slightly. Inuyasha let out a small sigh of relief, so the wounds weren't as bad as he thought. Kagome would tell him if they were bad. Still, he wanted to get her somewhere safe, somewhere where she could recuperate."Come on, we'll find a cave or something." Inuyasha said as he scooped Kagome up.  
He looked back at Yume and smiled slightly. Yume smiled back and put her thumb up. No problem, she seemed to say and that made his smile widen. Then, carefully with Kagome in his arms, he leaped forward.  
  
It took ten minutes for them to find a place suitable for them to rest. Each person was weary and wounded, Yume and Kagome seemingly the worst. Sango didn't have much more than a few scratches and the one large bite on her shoulder, but the reason being was her boomer rang.

Without it as a shield, she would have had a lot worse. Miroku seemed to be alright as well. Having his outer robe and inner robe on, the demons didn't have much skin to tear at. They barely got to his body when Yume had told them about the escape route. Shippo had a few deeper wounds, but he was also lower to the ground and not many demons felt like going after him. Kirara had a few deep wounds as well, but not horrible ones.

The cave they settled in had a musty smell to it, but it was relatively dry. In the gloom none of the humans could make out much except for various figures near the entrance. Yume could tell that the cave went deeper, she could hear the sounds of water and see through the dark as if it was day

. Inuyasha could also see through the dark and had been the first to venture in, ridding it of any pests that might do them harm. After a while, he had left to grab Kagome's dropped backpack. When he returned, Miroku had a fire going and Sango had started tending Kirara's wound with her sachet she had around her waist.

Inuyasha fished through Kagome's pack for her and handed her some new clothing. He also pulled out the medical kit Kagome always brought with her and pulled it open. Gauze, bandages, and antiseptic rolled out of the box.  
Kagome went off into a dark corner to get dressed. Yume followed her and helped her, tending to the wounds with the antiseptic she had stolen from Inuyasha and the bandages as well. When Kagome was all wrapped up, she put the new clothing on over the bandages and thanked her. Yume told her to think nothing of it and they went back to the fire side in silence.After everyone was bandaged, they fell asleep. The fire burned on throughout the rest of the day and half the night before it quietly died. Miroku slept beside Sango, a form of protection through the night he had told her and Sango submitted with firm threats of what would happen if his hands roamed. To tell the truth, she felt grateful and much better with Miroku sleeping by her side. Kirara curled up next to Sango's head.  
Yume didn't sleep, just watched the others.

She was particularly amused at how Inuyasha flatly refused to have Kagome sleep by herself. After a few arguments, Kagome had sighed and leaned against Inuyasha. He wrapped his arm protectively around her before nodding off himself, completely unaware of the raised eyebrow Miroku had given him. When she was sure everyone was asleep, including Shippo who was curled up in Kagome's lap, Yume stood up and walked deeper into the cave.

There wasn't much to see. The cave widened out and then formed a fork, the right tunnel leading down an even darker place, while the left seemed to be the same thing, only with a very dangerous cliff at the end. At the bottom of the cliff was running water. At least now Yume knew where the sound of water was coming from. The right tunnel lead to an even wider opening with another fork. She sighed and went back the way she came, sniffing the air to help find her way to the others.By the time she got back, night had fallen and Inuyasha was stirring. She sat down and made like she had slept peacefully, yawning and stretching exaggeratedly. Inuyasha stared at her suspiciously before looking down at Kagome in his arms. She was now pretty much sleeping in his lap, one arm draped across his lap with her head on his chest. Shippo had his head against Inuyasha's leg, the rest of his body still resting on Kagome. He growled slightly and Kagome stirred, her ear against his chest."Shh, let her sleep, Inuyasha," Yume whispered quietly to him.  
"I am!" he snipped at her and she shrugged.  
"Fine then. I'm going to get some more sleep. Wake me in the morning."When morning came and light shone in through the mouth of the cave, everyone stirred and awoke with the exception of Inuyasha. They stretched stiff limbs and sore muscles, but the morning was cheery and aroused them in a good mood. Kagome had one of the best sleeps she had in years and awoke totally refreshed, even if her body ached in response to her movement. Inuyasha was still holding her, sleeping like a baby, and she giggled.

Inuyasha woke to the sound of her giggling and opened his eyes slowly, yawning. When his eyes focused and landed on Kagome, his face turned crimson and he quickly turned his face away, white hair covering his face. That made her laugh again before she stood up and stretched again. Inuyasha "feh"ed half-heartedly and Yume caught the smile on his face.

"Inuyasha, you little mutt!" she said quietly, merrily. "Kagome and you are the best mate-couple I have seen in years!"  
Inuyasha blushed even deeper at her words and fehed. "We're not a mate-couple yet, Yume. I don't believe Kagome will be into that yet." He then choked on his own words. That made Yume laugh.  
"Yeah, I know what you mean. But she'll come around sooner or later, probably after you finish the marking!" Yume grinned at the look Inuyasha was giving her. "Oh, that reminds me. When you're ready to finish the marking, take Kagome to my den. I have something for her."Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What?"  
Yume wagged her finger in the air. "I can't tell you! It's for the female, not the male, though your father entrusted something to me a long time ago that I have to give you too. Just...when you make up your mind to finish, come to my den. It's all still there, under very high protection."That caught Inuyasha's curiosity, but he knew she wouldn't tell him until the time came. And he wasn't sure the time would be any time soon. He wasn't ready to finish the marking and he wasn't sure Kagome was ready either.Yume peered into the cave deliberately, leaving him to his own thoughts and sparing him the embarrassment of watching his face turn redder. Inuyasha must be thinking of the night after the marking. She thought with a wider smile. Geez, he's still such a puppy.A sudden cry caught everyone's attention and all heads turned quickly in Kagome's direction. But she was looking farther into the cave with her eyes wide and both hands clutching her chest. In the morning, she looked somewhat like a mummy, with gauze wrappings wrapped fully around her left leg, some of her right leg, all of her right arm and hand, and a large bandage on her left hand.  
Inuyasha quickly ran up to her, thinking she had seen something farther into the cave. His hand went to the hilt of Tetsusaiga."What is it, a demon?" He asked and watched as she nodded.  
"I think so, but that's not why I cried out! There's a jewel shard, I can feel it! It's down there, farther into the cave!" she exclaimed, pointing into the darkness.  
Yume watched her, then looked father down into the cave. She had been down there and hadn't seen the pink shards that had come from Kikyou the day before. She had seen those small pink things Kagome had in her pocket when she was helping cloth her. Was that what Kagome was talking about?"Let's go then!" Inuyasha said in anticipation.  
"Wait," Yume advised. "There are a lot of forks in the cave and it's pretty dark. Not everyone here can see down there, Inuyasha."  
Inuyasha seemed to think that over and nodded. "You guys stay here. We'll go get the jewel shard and be back quick."  
Sango, Miroku, and Kagome seemed ready to object but Yume had put her hand up to silence them, her eyes on Kagome. "You can feel them, correct? Can you see them too?"

When Kagome nodded, she nodded back. "Alright. You go with us, we'll need your help."

Inuyasha glared at Yume and she shrugged in defiance. Inuyasha wanted Kagome to stay where it was safe, but he knew he wouldn't be able to tell where the jewel shard was. With an exasperated sigh, he agreed with the commands before adding something.  
"Kagome, stay close to me. It is dark and I don't want you falling down a hole or something."  
"I'll ride on your back then, if that's alright." Kagome suggested and Inuyasha nodded.  
Yume turned back to look at the other humans. "You guys stay here. If we need help, I'll howl. Trust me, you'll be able to hear it."  
Sango smiled and nodded. "Fine then, just promise you'll be careful."  
While Yume placed her thumb in the air and winked, Kagome answered. "We promise. We'll call if we need help!"   
And with Kagome on his back and Yume following behind, Inuyasha ran forward into darkness.

The forks in the 'road' came upon them and Inuyasha, running ahead of Yume with Kagome clinging blindly to his back, stopped suddenly. His ears flicked to attention as he tried to peer through both tunnel entrances. The left mouth of darkness continued to echo the sounds of running water while the right sat deadly and forbidding, as silent as death itself. Yume, who had encountered both while the others had slept, raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha's hesitation to pick one.

"Well, Inuyasha? Which one?" She whispered. Caves made you do that, the stillness made you whisper for fear, or anxiousness, of what might hear you father ahead.  
Inuyasha shrugged and Yume watched as Kagome clung tighter, eyes restlessly looking about. For a sinking moment, Yume suspected that Kagome might be claustrophobic. She could definitely smell the change in her scent, something that told Yume she had become deathly afraid, but her will was overcoming that fear and Yume shook the feeling off.

Inuyasha sniffed the air, walking closer to both tunnels for a better whiff. "Nothing. I can't get anything, it's all dead still! Damnit!" He growled and swung his head from left to right."I can tell you what's in the left tunnel. Nothing but a cliff with a rather nasty drop off into a stream. I can't really say what's in the right one. When I had entered, it was just another chamber with another two tunnels."

Inuyasha peered back over his shoulder, past Kagome's head. "You mean to tell me you went in here alone while we were sleeping?" Yume nodded and Inuyasha fehed. "No wonder it smells like you, just mustier.""Hey! Don't take that tone with me, mister smart-ass. I'm a grown wolf, I can handle myself." Yume growled, though her tone stayed playful and cheerful.

"Um...guys? Can we just pick a tunnel, it's really dark." Kagome's voice, strong but with a slight waver of the syllables, spoke up.

Yume suddenly burst into quiet chuckles. "Sorry, Kagome, let's get going. So which tunnel, Inuyasha?"Inuyasha was silent for a moment. There really was only one way to make sure there wasn't anything in the left one but water and that was to go down it again. Maybe farther than Yume had on her first trip. With a sigh, he turned back to the patiently waiting wolf-demon."Kagome and I will head down the right one. We'll sniff out the chamber, as you said there was," He stared at her and seemed to wait for her to contradict herself. When she didn't and glared back at him, he went on, "and probably pick another tunnel. You go down the left one and make sure there aren't any rouge demons around. If there really is only a cliff, come back and take the right one. You should be able to catch our scent from there, if we move on."

Yume smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "Becoming the little leader now, aren't ya?" She asked before flying past him and entering the left tunnel. "Have fun, you two! See you in a bit!"

Kagome looked around over Inuyasha's shoulder, though it was darker than any night she had lived through and couldn't make out a thing. Tugging gently at Inuyasha's forelock to get his attention, she whispered into his ear, or where she imagined his ear would be."She's a strange one. And she took care of you?"

"I heard that!"

Inuyasha grinned through the dark when he heard Kagome eep and duck behind Inuyasha's shoulder, clinging tightly. He brought his hands back to her legs and pushed her a little higher onto his back, keeping his hands upon her thighs for a little longer than nessacary, but, if Kagome noticed, she didn't say anything.

With another grin, Inuyasha made his way towards the right tunnel and entered it's dark mouth.

Yume walked a few meters and stopped near the edge of the cliff, as she knew she would. During her walk she had placed both her hands behind her head and walked as if she was sunbathing, humming an ancient tune to herself. It was going to be rather boring down this tunnel. She thought with a sigh and a shake of her head, arms dropping to her side. What I need is a demon to maim.That thought put a grin on her lips and her arms instantly resumed to move back behind her head. She glanced down over the cliff edge and saw nothing interesting in particular. Just a small looking river about a half a mile down with the wall of the cliff jutting out huge rocks as if to break a fall. Except Yume knew the rocks wouldn't just break the fall, it would also break someone's unlucky neck. Again, for some reason, that thought brought a grin to her face and she sat down upon the cliff's edge. A pebble lay against her palm and she picked it up.

Regular rock. She observed on a closer look. With a much exaggerated heave, she tossed the rock over the cliffs edge.  
Her pointed ears listened to the rock tumbling down the embankment even though her face showed the signs of indifference. But when the rock clinked on something prematurely, she knew it couldn't have hit water that soon, and the something started a wild hissing, she perked up and became wildly on guard.

"What the hell...?" she asked the empty air.  
She peered over the steep cliff again except this time with a more watchful eye. Half of the river's side right beneath her was covered by the giant rocks jutting from the side of the cliff and she growled in frustration. She couldn't see anything besides rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Leaning dangerously over the side and craning her neck, she fought for any visible sign of what had hissed, sniffing the air very carefully. But no scent came up to her, the air was too dead. All she could catch was a musty, watery, slimy smell. Not like that was much help...Risking even more danger by hooking her feet against a rock and leaning more over the edge, she scanned both river and the one side of the river edge she could make out clearly. Still nothing. And then, while still hanging pretty dangerously, it happened.  
It came seemingly from no where, straight up. The huge, open mouth missed Yume's head by millimeters and flew another ten feet above her before falling back down a bit to come eye level. By then, Yume had let out a started yelp and windmilled her arms backwards, but her foot hold on the rock was gone and she was tipping, tipping, until finally she spun head over heels off the cliff.The cave spun around her. One second she was staring at the jutting rocks, the next her own knees, then the water below, the huge head coming down for her, then the rocks again and so on and so forth.Kami-sama, that things going to swallow me WHOLE!While Yume was falling off the cliff, Inuyasha and Kagome had already picked two different tunnels at two different forks. They led to an empty chamber with no more tunnels, just dark and huge. Inuyasha cursed so bad he could have made a sailor blush before back tracking and taking the other tunnel.That tunnel was the same as the last. A huge, empty chamber with no more tunnels leading any farther. Growling in rage for he knew the jewel shard must be in one of these damn tunnels, he back tracked again and took yet another tunnel.  
By then, Kagome was struggling with her growing fear. She was terrified of dark places, not to mention dark, dank, and enclosed spaces.

With a demon running loose to boot. Inuyasha was there to protect her, sure, and she trusted him with her life, but how would he protect her if she has a panic attack and harms herself? She didn't know, but she determinedly told herself she would not panic, she'd make it through this as long as she was with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha didn't notice the constant changing in Kagome's scent, he was too busy with his own thoughts, concerns, decisions, and those freakin' tunnels as he liked to call them. All he needed to do was continue to reassure himself that Kagome was still on his back by hoisting her higher, making sure she 'didn't fall'. Once he had reassured himself, his thoughts went right back to their normal road, will he or won't he finish the marking? Which tunnel should he take next? What type of demon had the jewel shard? Where was this demon? Will Kagome be alright in the dark while I fight it? So many questions building up in his mind caused him to be antsy and anxious for the battle to begin...and to end.The tunnel he had chosen didn't exactly end the same way the others had. This time, the tunnel lead to six other different tunnels, all spread out before Inuyasha the moment he entered the stone chamber. His frustration at all these wounding caves worked its way out of his mouth through a very loud, very angry snarl.

He felt Kagome jump on his back and reassured her it was only him by caressing her hair lightly with one hand. She calmed after that and Inuyasha went back to choosing another tunnel.

Any one will do, just pick one! Inuyasha growled at himself angrily before once again eyeing each tunnel mouth. Either that or go back the way you came and forget about it! He knew he wasn't about to head back after getting so far and growled softly to himself. Fine. That one. He told himself before pointing his head far to the left, head down a tunnel almost at a perfect right angle to himself. Kagome gasped lightly at his sudden, powerful movement and clutched tighter."DAMNIT!"Inuyasha stopped short and Kagome almost flew over his shoulders at the sudden stop, wincing slightly at his echoing yell. She guessed they had stopped in another tunnel-less chamber. She had to guess, for she couldn't see to tell. The darkness was surrounding her and her breathing became slightly raspy, but she continued to fight off her fear.Curses rolled off Inuyasha's tongue freely, echoing back at him and enveloping him in his own voice. That made his anger worse and he cursed a few more times before heading deeper into the cavern. It was far bigger than the ones he had come across before, the ceiling itself had to be higher than the Goshinboku, much higher in fact. It was just a very dark hole in the middle of the mountain, nothing more nothing less.  
Inuyasha walked around the cavern in disbelief. All those tunnels and he chose the one that ended just like the two before this one. His luck, always his lousy luck. His face screwed up in a nasty snarl, but no sound escaped through his bared fangs. At this rate, it'd take him four years to find the demon with the jewel shard, forget it being short.Kagome gasped suddenly behind him and clenched his shoulders as tight as her hands could. "It's here! The jewel shard is in here! Can you see anything, Inuyasha?" Her voice was urgent, but she was speaking very softly.Inuyasha's head instantly swung around and his eyes grew even more watchful. There wasn't any light this far down for his eyes to see clearly through, but it also wasn't complete darkness. It was just gloomier than usual. Still, he could see nothing within the cavern."Where, Kagome? Can you see it?" He felt Kagome shake her head against his back.  
"I can feel it moving around here, somewhere. It's like it's in the walls!"As if on cue, a tremendous rumbling started straight ahead of them. Inuyasha growled and stood in a defensive position, leaving Kagome to hang on or move away. Since she didn't have a clue as to where she would go, Kagome hung on even more tightly with her knees as well as her hands.  
The wall directly in front of Inuyasha burst outwards a

nd a hoard of various tiny creatures came racing forward. Inuyasha almost laughed in surprise. Just normal, everyday bats, rats, and snakes. Those creatures, mortal enemies in life, came rushing forward, stopping once they reached Inuyasha's feet. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Eh? Just rats and snakes? No demons? And with all that noise and rumbling, I thought there was a demon!" Inuyasha said aloud, perhaps a little too soon.  
A gigantic hiss caught his attention and he instantly looked up, growling in response. The heavy scent of snake, rat, and bat masked the arrival of the new beast. Kagome, a little perplexed and anxious despite herself, looked up and almost yelped in surprise."Whatever that is, it's carrying the jewel shard!" She yelled, pointing up. "And if that's it's head, it's hiding in there!"Inuyasha nodded grimly before reaching behind him and gently unhooking Kagome from his back. The beast that stood before him was neither one creature nor two parts of one. It was like a Griffin, except with a mixture between the three swarms of creatures standing patiently before him.

Or flying or slithering before him. The head was a giant bats head, horribly disfigured with ears that touched the ceiling of the cavern itself, huge bug like eyes, and the fur had been replaced with slimy looking brown scales. The rest of it's body was like a snake's, long, thick, and coiled though this was covered in a combination of dark scales and tuffs of fur.

Two small, paw like hands emerged from where arms would have been. In replacement for fingers it had thick curved claws, each at least the size of Tetsusaiga though not as thick.

Kagome had not pointed at the creature's head, but somewhere near the middle of it, which went to show Inuyasha how little she thought the demon was. He didn't want to alarm her by telling her the thing was way bigger than she thought it was; she seemed alarmed enough by the darkness.  
Inuyasha reached for Tetsusaiga and pulled it loose, transforming it quickly. The light of the transformation lit up the cavern for just a moment, enough for Kagome to glance at the demon, and her suppressed cries and fear suddenly let themselves out in one long wailing cry.Yume was certainly in a pickle herself. She had stopped her tumbling, though she still fell this time with her back to the ever coming ground, and instead stared straight up, at the jaws coming to lock down at her. She now had an idea what the hell was attacking her. A giant snake, a water snake it seemed, with fangs as long as her arm that dripped green saliva. Disgusting. She thought to herself, a split second before she smashed into the ground.Not even a second later the jaws slammed into the rock around her.  
Dazed, and with pain clogging her spinning head, she felt a fang scrape past her arm. A wet, squishy, slimy-(another snake?)-thing wrapped around her midsection and pulled her into the nasty smelling-(cave?)-hole. From there the slimy thing around her tried hard to force her down an equally

nasty smelling-

(tunnel?)-fleshy tube. It was then that her senses came back to her and all too suddenly she realized what was happening. The thing around her midsection turned out to be the snakes long, forked tongue. What she thought was a cave was the snake's huge mouth. The tunnel she was now being forced down, the surprising, fleshy tunnel, was the snake's huge throat. Her eyes snapped open and her clawed hand instant forced themselves through the snake's tender throat muscles.

She couldn't breath anymore, there seemed to be no such thing as breath in this dark place. The muscles that throbbed around her, trying to force her down, surpressed her and covered her mouth and nose no matter how many times she twisted away from it. Even if she forced the muscle away from her face, there was no air.

Frantic now, she clawed desperately at the muscle, sliding ever farther down. She could feel her lungs burning for breath, burning for anything but the smothering muscle. Saliva bathed her and made her an easy going meal, sliding right down the dark tube. She had to stop, had to stop the decent. But first she had to get some air!  
Yume pulled her hand back as far as it would go, which was no farther than a little behind her head, and shoved her claws through the snake's slimy muscle once again. It went straight through with barely an opposition.

She then used that small hole to make a bigger hole, desperately clawing with both hands, lungs burning for breath, the darkness surrounding her vision until all she could see was her hands working in front of her, nothing more. And then, very suddenly, she was tumbling out of the snake's throat and onto the rocks, covered in filth, but sucking in breath like there was no tomorrow. Her hand clasped around her throat as she heaved in her next breath gratefully, then coughed out the disgusting tasting saliva that had managed to penetrate her mouth.

"Fucking snake's...I've always...hated them." She hissed through breaths.  
She turned around to watch the snake writhing in pain, but gradually getting over the agony and turning it slowly into rage. Blind rage. Coiling it's lengthy form, it bent it's head back and thrust it forward as fast as it could. Aim, Yume.

Yume jumped out of the way the moment she saw the snake's advances, cursed, then landed lightly. Her whole body still ached agonizingly, but she seemed to be feeling it like a far off emotion, the emotion you knew of but couldn't catch to relive it again. Her whole body was alive in rage and adrenaline, placing pain to the side.

"Come on, snaky, let's play!" Yume growled menacingly, a creepy grin twisting her features.Oh boy, she was worse than enraged; she was infuriated. This snake had tried to swallow her whole! And, surprisingly, it almost succeeded! There was no way she was going to let that happen again, she was going to put a stop to that for sure. This snake had picked the wrong demon to mess with, it should have just slithered off and captured a much less threatening meal.This time, when the snake's head lunged toward her, she stayed her ground. The snake's head loomed closer and closer, she could smell it's foul breath and see the ham sized yellow eyes growing even larger, until she finally made a move. She didn't leap away, as would be expected, instead she jumped up to meet the snake's wide open mouth with a yell.Both of her claws suddenly shown a brilliant white and she brought them before her, aiming straight for one of the corners of the snake's gigantic mouth. Her hand tore through the muscle, the scales, and the bone easily. She slashed downwards the moment her claws got a firm hold on the bone and she watched with satisfaction as the right side of it's mouth hung awkwardly.The demon roared with pain, coming out as a loud hiss mixed with what sounded like a growl. Surprised that the demon wasn't running off instantly, Yume landed atop a flat stone with her hands between her knees, crouching slightly as she watched the demon's head turn to look for her.When it found her, it opened was remained of it's broken, ripped jaw, but did not lunge. Instead, it let out a putrid odor. Yume almost passed out with the stench, covering her sensitive nose with both hands while rocking slightly. The stench made her dizzy as well as disoriented.The snake demon took advantage of this state and flicked out it's tail. The tail smashed into Yume's already aching body, flinging her off the rock and back onto the ground near the river. The distant aching came back ten fold and the aching turned to pure agony. Her back felt, and sounded, like it was broken. She could hardly feel her legs, except for a terrible throbbing."Shit."Inuyasha slashed repeatedly at the large, misshapen demon. He was staying away from using the Kaze No Kizu; it would cause a cave in. Kagome had finally stopped screaming and Inuyasha had to turn his head behind him for a split second to make sure her sudden stop didn't mean one of the lesser creatures put a more permanent stop to it. But there was no need for worries, Kagome was leaning against the wall of the cavern with a hand to her fluttering chest and her eyes set where the demon had been. Inuyasha had went back to trying to evade it's attacks and strike it the moment he saw Kagome was alright.But Kagome wasn't all right. She was so close to panicking and racing out of the caves that it scared her even more. That demon...she had seen worse yes, but for some reason it terrified her. And when she saw that the cavern was filled with snakes, bats, and rats; well that just topped the cake.

Her legs were itching to run, but she knew that if she ran, she would either get lost, fall down a hole/cliff, or run right into the small army of creatures. All of those consequences for running made staying where she was all the more enjoyable.

Kagome heard Inuyasha cry out in pain and her eyes instantly tried to pinpoint his location, but it was too dark and the cavern echoed his cry of pain. Her heart began to beat harder and her breathing became even more ragged. She was miles into the mountain, under the mountain itself, trapped with a demon, and to top it off, she couldn't see a damned thing.Then she saw it. A glimmer, nothing more, but she knew what that glimmer was. Inuyasha's hair! It must have caught some ray of light, but, how? She couldn't see any ray of light, nothing but darkness, and Inuyasha's hair had disappeared as swiftly as it had appeared. For a moment, she thought she had imagined seeing it, but then it happened again.Sparks! Inuyasha's sword was making sparks against the rock! Thinking rapidly and panicking, turned around and pressed her hands against the stone, picking up a few and scrapping them together. So she had been correct, there was flint down here! The stone's showered sparks all around her with each strike she made. Furiously, she continued to beat rock to flint, surprised that she had even found both flint and rock the first attempt.Now, with the sparks letting off light, she could see somewhat in front of her. It was like a old, slow motion picture. With each waterfall of sparks she formed, she could see Inuyasha and the demon for a second, then darkness, another hit and they were in a different pose. She was reminded strongly of a strobe light, one she herself had had at her birthday party a few years ago. But this showed a much deadlier dance than the dance her friend's had before.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out when she watched him fly into the wall, then darkness again until she put flint to stone once more.

A shuffling sound came about and she dropped the flint and stone in stunned surprise. The small army of rodents, flying rodents, and reptiles came at her, surrounding her in a circle of hissing teeth.

She let out a small whimper of fear. She was now completely surrounded and on the edge of a panic attack. She never thought herself an ophidiophobic, fear of snakes, but being surrounded by the hissing, slithering creatures made her extremely anxious.

She knew the rats and bats didn't really bother her because all she could think about were all those snakes, all those snakes she couldn't see, all those snakes that were crawling ever closer to her. And then, to make matters worse, her claustrophobia was setting in deeper, taking control, causing her breath to become even worse than ragged, her head to spin, and her knees to feel weak. She didn't even hear herself scream nor feel herself sink down to her knees.

Inuyasha heard the piercing scream clearly and was suddenly very aware that Kagome was not okay. He could hear her rapid heartbeat and her shuddering breaths clearly despite the hissing and snarling. Her scent carried that of panic and finally it clicked.

Kagome was claustrophobic! Damnit!

Well? Just click that tempting lil button down there...;)


	7. Kouga is Back

A/N: To A. Nonny Mouse who implied I was plagiarizing someone's fic: I got really ticked after I read your review, so I typed up 'White Dog' on the search engine and I read the first story that came up and I realize 'The White Dog' and 'Mark' are extremely similar since Inuyasha and Kagome both end up in a cave and Kagome is claustrophobic in both fics. But I DO NOT PLAGURIS OTHER PEOPLE'S FANFICTIONS! Mark has nothing to do with 'The White Dog' and I have not heard of that fic until now. Once again: I DO NOT PLAGURIS!!! I have the rest of 'Mark' planned out, and it differs greatly from 'The White Dog.'

If you don't believe me, TOUGH. You'll just have to wait and see. Now I'm pissed since someone would actually imply I plagiarize. Sorry this chapter is a bit short, I just didn't feel like writing after Nonny Mouse's review.

To the other reviewers: Thanks for taking the time to leave a message; huggles to you all. And to KOGA'sgurl, no worries; some Koga/Yume fluff is on the way! ï

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

-Mark-

Slashing one last time at the demon and knocking the tail away from himself, Inuyasha sped towards Kagome. It was now or never, he had to defeat the demon, grab the shard, grab Kagome, and run like hell. But where was Yume? He had expected her to be around somewhere, racing towards them to help fight against this damn thing. And if she was in trouble, he wound of heard her howl, so it couldn't have been that.

Now or never.Inuyasha placed himself in the little space left between Kagome and the army of the small army, his hold on Tetsusaiga tightening. Now or never. He gritted his teeth hard, clenched down and ground them until he felt he had none left in his mouth. He'd have the grab the jewel shard as fast as he could and, to make things even more dangerous, he had to do it with Kagome on his back or he wouldn't be able to jet fast enough."Kagome! Climb on, now!" Inuyasha ordered, but Kagome only stared straight ahead, eyes distant. "KAGOME!" That snapped her slightly out of her reverie and she looked up at Inuyasha, or where she thought him to be. "Get on my back, NOW!"Kagome instantly did as commanded, wimpering and feeling her way towards him. Inuyasha moved back towards her to make matters easier and used one hand to guide her. The moment she felt his haori, she jumped upon his back and held on fiercly, wimpering. He had to get her out of here, soon, before she went insane with panic.  
Now or never and risk Kagome's sanity.Both hands were now on the hilt of his sword and his teeth were grounding each other again. This was it, if the place caved in before he could get through the tunnel, then it was going to cave in. This was it, now or never."KAZE NO KIZU!"

**-With Yume –**

Yume wrapped her arms around the snake's thick neck and squeezed. Her arms weren't even close to touching but it didn't matter. If she squeezed hard enough the esophagus would be crushed and the snake would no longer be able to pull in a single breath. Or so she hoped. And maybe, if she wasn't underestimating the little strength she had left, she would be able to rip the snake's entire head off.The snake thrashed violently, constantly whipping out it's tail and cracking her in the back with it. She didn't cry out in pain, for she was beyond crying out, beyond normal agony. Her body felt like it was lit from within, her back alone had to have been ignited, and she would have sworn it. Her head was dizzy with the agony, but she wouldn't give up, not now. That was all she needed, to fuck up and die down here when Inuyasha or Kagome or both might need her alive.

Kami-sama, she had to live.

She felt a ripping sensation from near her chest and she put an extra hard squeeze. The snake was slowing in it's thrashing. Yume couldn't see a thing, she was blind with pain, all she knew was that she was holding on and that her view was slowly turning black as it had done when she was in the snake's throat. It had started slightly at the corner of her eyes, but now it was moving it with each violent thrust the snake made, moving to cover her vision and make her an easy meal even if the snake was dying. Another rip.Yume had had enough, this had to end, now. She had to be the victor. Ignoring the violent pain in her back, she made her legs move and placed her toe claws deep within the skin of the snake for traction. She then squeezed the thickly muscled neck and, in one quick motion, ripped the snake's head clearly from it's body. So the ripping had been the snake's scaly hide.The black completely closed in then and she had a brief sensation of falling before her eyes closed and her body sagged. She could feel nothing now, not even when she hit the rocky bottom, and all she could see was black. No pain met her while she was in this state, she was at peace, eyes closed, body spread eagle. The rest of the snake body crashed around her in a grotesque, almost square looking frame with Yume as it's center piece, lying as still as the snake itself.  
  
Sango was getting antsy. Something was wrong, something bad. She didn't know what, but she knew she wasn't the only one feeling this. Miroku constantly played with his prayer beads, gazing intently into the dark cave. The sun was heading down now; Inuyasha, Kagome, and Yume had been in the cave for a good part of the day. And that was never a good sign.Kirara paced the ground restlessly in her transformed state, growling and seeming to mutter to herself, stopping a few times to gaze into the deeper parts of the cave. The cat-demon was waiting for any sign of them coming up through that darkness, perfectly fine and with a jewel shard to boot. But she knew better than that, there was something terribly wrong and it had to do with the three deeper within the cave.Shippo played near the entrance of the cave, but Sango knew with one look that he was not into the game. He kept stopping and staring into the cave, a solemnly anxious look on his face, then he would go back to pretending to play. At one point he had asked when Kagome would be back, but no one answered him. No one knew.  
Very suddenly, and to the stun of them all, the entire mountain shook, then fell still."What was that?!" Shippo yelled worriedly, jumping up from the ground and racing in after Kirara. Kirara stood a few feet into the darkness and perked her ears. When whatever she was listening for reached her tall ears, she let out a tremendous roar and started forward at a run. Sango, slightly surprised at Kirara's sudden take-off, but not too surprised, ran after her and called for her to stop. Kirara did and waited non-to-patiently for Miroku, Sango, and Shippo to sit upon her back.Shippo barely got a good enough hold on Miroku's robs before Kirara sprang off.  
"WAAA-WAAA-WAAA!" Shippo yelled each time he was sure he was going to fall off, but never did.Kouga neared the entrance of the cave carefully, a few minutes after Kirara made her rampaging run into the rest of the cave. Their scent was still fresh and he didn't want to get in Inuyasha's way. His thoughts, surprisingly, haven't been about Kagome the last two days he had spent away from her.

Instead, they had turned towards that other woman, the she-wolf-demon. That she-wolf had stood up to him defiantly and with a particularly strong will. She had also opened up Kouga's eyes, thinned his thick head, about the situation between Inuyasha and Kagome.

Through those two days, Kouga couldn't, wouldn't stop thinking about her. She haunted his dreams for kami's sake! He couldn't focus when the rest of his tribe asked him questions, he just answered with yes's and no's until they finally asked what was wrong. True to his nature, he snapped at them and ran off, leaving them confused and bewildered.So he had set off to find her again, just to at least see her. He knew she was with Inuyasha's group, since that was the last place he had seen her and since Inuyasha looked at her with as much respect as he could muster. That was another thing that captivated him; she had gained Inuyasha's respect.The other thing that totally held his attention was her exquisite beauty.  
But that wasn't the only reason he had come to see her, following the scent of the group for a good half-day. He had a bad feeling that she was in trouble, that her and perhaps the entire group was in trouble. It was just a feeling, but it made him anxious to find out if he could be any help.Now he was here, at the mouth of the cave. When he stepped in a few feet, he saw Kagome's book bag and a few bloody rags discarded in a corner. Each rag had a different scent and Kouga distinguished Kagome's first, then hers. So she was wounded. He growled despite himself and moved away from the rags. Their scent led him deeper into the cave, into the darkness.His feet made him follow the scents before his mind could even decide properly. Before he knew it, he was at a fork in the road, where many of the scents went one way and only one, her scent, went the other. He quickly opted for her scent, since his bad feeling mostly arose her image in his mind, and plunged down the left tunnel at the first fork.  
To his amazement, Kouga came to the edge of a cliff with water about a half-a-mile below. He couldn't see much over the jutting rocks of the cliff's embankment, but he could smell. So many scents struck his nose that he was struck dizzy with them. Too much information! He thought to himself with his hands over his nose.  
When he gained himself again, he sniffed the air very tentatively. He could make out the stench of some horrible, lingering odor, then, underneath that, he could smell her blood. A lot of her blood. It all was wafting up from below, on a barely noticable, but still there, breeze.Horror struck him. What if she was dead? Without thinking sensibly, he jumped off the cliff. The ground rose to meet him, but it wasn't the ground he stared at. It was the image of Yume lying in her own blood and the gore from the snake's severed head with the body lying around her."Kami-sama.." 


	8. The Marking

A/N: Yippee! Over fifty reviews! I love you people!! Huggles and smooches to everyone! Now enjoy the next chapter to Mark! :)

Disclaimer: Sole rights go to Rumiko Takahashi and her brilliant mind.

Inuyasha's worst fears came true. The entire cavern was falling in on them, large boulders falling around and upon them. Kagome was whimpering and quivering in fear on his back, her hands almost painfully digging into his shoulders. With shard in hand, he ran through the tunnels almost blindly as they fell in around him.

"Hold on, Kagome, just hold on!" He yelled, his voice slightly begging

.  
His attention went forward after he felt Kagome's nod on his back and he pushed himself even harder. The cave in was right behind him, no more than three steps away, and he felt as if he was dangling across the blade of a knife. If he even so much as missed a step...or double stepped...

He pushed the thoughts away absently. No, he couldn't think of that, he had to protect Kagome. Protecting Kagome had to come first, he told himself as he ran, hands tightly clamped on her legs to keep her on his back. When he reached the chamber with all the tunnels, he sniffed his way quickly back the way he came. Through the tunnel with the cavern falling behind him. He then took off until, quite suddenly, he came to a dead end."SHIT!" He cursed out loud, a sinking feeling starting in his chest. This was it, the cave in was right behind them, they were as good as dead.Inuyasha cursed again, then quickly took Kagome off of his back and made her face him. His eyes bore into his and both his hands cupped her face fiercely, but gently. He could hear the rumbling of the rocks falling behind him, oh so close, but still he forced a sad smile for Kagome. This was it, this was the end."Kagome...I...I just wanted you to know that....I love you." Without waiting for a response, he kissed her gently, feather-lightly on the lips while the boulders collapsed around him.As a last instinct, Inuyasha stopped the kiss and covered Kagome's body with his own as a last attempt to protect her from the rocks.  
"Inuyasha...I love you too..."

**-The Others-**  
  
Kirara stopped suddenly at a large caved in tunnel, growling and pawing at the rocks. A few rolled down, but she knew that if she kept it up, the rocks would land on her and the occupants on her back. She had to wait until they strategized a way of moving them, and that was if Sango understood.

But there was no need to worry, Sango understood perfectly and with perfect horror. Inuyasha and Kagome, caved in! She thought, eyes widening. And Yume, where was Yume? Miroku, seemingly to be a good guy this time, placed an arm around Sango."Don't worry, we'll get them out, and that's even if they're in there," he said reassuringly.  
Sango nodded, then shook her head. "I know their in there. Kirara knows, but are they all right? That's my worry!"Miroku grasped her firmly by the shoulders. "They're fine! I don't want you to loose your head, stay calm! We'll get them out!"Sango nodded and Miroku let her go with a small, tilted smile. For a moment, Sango's heart fluttered and blood flowed freely to her cheeks. She actually thought something might happen, she actually wanted something to happen, then shook her head. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong situation. She thought to herself, though, unknown to her, Miroku was thinking the same thing."We'll have to move a few of these boulders, but we can't start from the bottom; we might cause another cave in on ourselves." Sango looked over at Shippo, who looked teary-eyed. "Don't worry, we'll get them out."Shippo nodded and, unexpectedly, assumed a form with a little more muscle using one of his tricks. "And I'm going to help."

**-With Kouga-  
**  
Kouga landed hard on his feet, jarring both knees and neck, though paid no attention to either of them. The stench down here was enough to knock him unconscious, but he had to take the chance.

Yume was lying on her back, deathly still, her chest barely rising and falling. She was pretty messed up, bruised and broken with two serious gashes. One seemed to be at least a day old on her leg, the other fresh across her side. She was literally lying in a puddle of her own blood and more blood continued to pour forth, though now a tiny trickle compared to the earlier river.

Kouga was horrified and enraged at the same time. Sure he had wanted to see her, but not like this, definitely not like this. Carefully and very gently, he scooped her up and brought her to the river's edge, taking her away from the snake's body. Once there, coughing slightly at the stench, he submerged her in the cool water until only her face was above the water.

He watched as the water ran over and around the wounds, taking away some of the gore and blood and saliva clinging to her still form.  
When he saw that she was a little cleaner, he took her out of the water and held her close to him. It was a long way back up to the cliff's edge, a long trip. But he did not mind, he didn't mind at all, as long as the trip would not be in vain and Yume would come out alive.  
Slowly, he started his accent.  
  
**–With Inuyasha-**

Inuyasha opened his eyes slowly and painfully. He couldn't remember much except that he had been fighting a demon...a rather nasty demon...and then a cave in...After he told himself that, the rest came back to him rather quickly and he quickly stood up.

What he saw shocked him. Mercifully the cave in had stopped a few feet away from where they crouched, leaving a good-sized space for them to sit and even walk around. He looked back down at Kagome, fear welling in his chest, and found her unconscious but still alive. That sent a wave of relief through him. They were both all right, even if they were buried beneath stone.Kagome stirred slightly and started to wake. The first thing she did was jump up and look around, making herself dizzy and her only reward for that was falling back over. Inuyasha was there in a flash to catch her before she hit the ground, telling her to take it easy."What happened? Where are we?" Kagome asked slowly, looking around though it was in vain. She still couldn't see."We're still in the caves, Kagome. There's....there's been a cave in, " Inuyasha told her hesitantly, remembering her claustrophobia.He watched her face turn from wonder into blank acceptance. She quietly drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, placing her chin upon her knees. Inuyasha started to grow very worried about her state, since she hadn't responded and was looking rather far off into the distance, and waved a hand in front of her face. He then cursed himself for being so stupid, she couldn't see an inch in front of her, how could she see his hand?"Buried alive..." she whispered, then collapsed into sobs.  
Inuyasha instantly reached out to comfort her, but she seemed to have felt him coming and shrank away from his touch. He drew his arms back slowly, unsure of what to do now, and sat down next to her."Kagome..." He started gently, but her sobs just continued to worsen.

**-The Others-**

Four hours into the night, Sango and the others were still heaving boulders. They were huge and very heavy, but, with a little muscle and a little help from Kirara's eyes, they were able to move a few of them. But it didn't seem to be enough, more rocks and boulders continued to block their way. Miroku finally leaned against a boulder they were trying to set tumbling and sighed. "We're seem to be getting no where.."

Sango sighed heavily also, though not in defeat. Her entire body ached from the strain she had put it through, pushing and shoving the huge rocks with the help of Shippo. She was breathing heavy and her heart felt like it was about to explode in her chest.

About an hour ago she had suggested he use his Kazanna, his air-rip, but he had declined instantly. A lot of the rocks were unsteady as it was and, if he moved a few of them, they might cause another cave in and kill the two they were trying to help. Kirara growled at that response."I know we're not getting far, but at least we moved a few...we have to at least make a small hole for them!" Sango exclaimed heatedly.Miroku placed his hands into the air as a sign of peace, though he couldn't see where Sango was anyway. "I did not mean we should stop, Sango. Maybe if we made a fire...at least we'd be able to see."Sango nodded. "Alright, a fire it is. Shippo?"Shippo instantly straightened his tricked form and smashed his head on an overhanging rock, hard. "OW!" he yelled, grabbing the lump. "Er...I'm right here, Sango.""Do you think you'd be able to go out and get some fire wood? Oh, and Kagome's back pack? I believe she still has that lighter thing in there.""Sure."Both Sango and Miroku listened as Shippo jumped down, small rocks and pebbles skidding in his wake. They then heard him take a deep breath and guessed he had made it down safely. Smiling, Sango waved slightly where she had last heard Shippo's footfalls. Hurry back, Shippo!  
"I'll be right back, don't move!"Meanwhile, within the cave-in, Inuyasha's mind was reeling. For four hours Kagome hadn't moved, hadn't spoken and it was all starting to scare him badly. He didn't dare leave her side, but he also didn't make a move to try and comfort her again. That only seemed to make matters worse.Kagome felt whatever control she still had left weakening and her panic rising higher. In her shoes, her toes were twitching. From her neck to her lower abdomen she couldn't feel a thing, she had gone dangerously numb.

She could feel her legs a little, but not much. Another sign of panic. No...I have to control myself.. She thought savagely. I have to! But.... it's so cold...and there's no way out..  
Her breath caught in her throat. The words 'no way out' seemed to ring horribly in her mind and a cold sinking feeling started in her chest. She'd never see her mother again, or her annoying little brother, or her grandfather, or her friends...on both sides.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she started to cry again very softly and with her head buried in her knees. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.... it should end in the battle with Naraku!

"K-Kagome...please...please don't cry..." Inuyasha begged when he smelled the saltiness of her tears and heard the barely audible sobs.  
Inuyasha reached out again, but didn't touch her. She was shaking badly and her sobs made the shaking worse. He didn't know how he was going to help her unless he could get them out, which made sense since he had been the one who put them in this position. But.... if he hadn't...He stood up suddenly and walked over to the wall of crumbled stone. There had to be a place he could hit, a place that would cave in slightly and leave an opening in it's wake. If not...his Kagome was sure to go into a comatose state or have a heart attack in her panic. Both thoughts made his own panic well in his throat. No, he wouldn't let that happen."Inuyasha!" Kagome suddenly cried out. "Where are you? INUYASHA!"In a split second, Inuyasha was back at Kagome's side. He placed both his hands on her shoulders and shook them lightly, almost lovingly. Kagome's eyes were wide and panic filled with tears continuing to slide down her cheeks.

She was staring a little too far to the right, away from Inuyasha's face, though she thought Inuyasha was where she was staring. She reached out a hand and touched air, then let it fall back down to her knees.  
"I'm not going anywhere, Kagome. Just stay calm." Inuyasha spoke softly. "I'll always be with you."  
"I-Inuyasha...I...I can't breath..." She gasped out suddenly, her eyes widening and her breathing becoming even shorter and more ragged.

"Kagome! Kagome, look at me! Kagome!"

**-With Kouga-  
**  
Kouga neared the exit/entrance of the cave and gazed out. The moon was a sliver now, shining as much light as it could shed. The stars twinkled at him and he was reminded of a million eyes, all winking at him secretly. The night was beautiful; there was a slight breeze and maybe two wisps cloud disrupting the velvety sky.

His eyes slid down from the sky and towards the body he had in his arms. The wind stirred Yume's rebellious bangs and slid them across her face, only to have them fall back into place when the wind died down. Kouga smiled a tilted, sorrowful smile and clutched the girl tighter to himself. When he reached his den, he would have to take care of those wounds."Eh..K-Kouga..." A voice spoke behind him and he whirled around.  
His bright blue eyes landed on the small form of Shippo. The fox-kit's eyes were wide and they became wider when they fell on the form of Yume in Kouga's arms. In one hand, Shippo held Kagome's book bag while in the other he held a small bundle of sticks."Hello, fox-boy. Where's everyone else?" he asked with eyebrow raised in suspicion.  
Shippo fingered Kagome's back pack strap before answering, looking forlorn. "Kagome and Inuyasha are caved in...everyone's helping trying to get them out."Kouga's jaw dropped almost comically and his eyes widened until Shippo was sure they'd fall out of his skull. "Kagome's caved in?" he asked again, disbelievingly. His hold on Yume tightened. "Where are they, what tunnel?"Shippo pointed, dropping all the sticks he had hooked under his arm. "That one, about four meters in."

He then gazed at Yume. "What...what happened to Yume?"

"A snake got to her."  
Now it was Shippo's turn to look comical, eyes bulging. "S-Snake? It's n-not still around, is it?"

Kouga shook his head. "She killed it, but it took a lot out of her." He then eyed the little kit and Shippo blinked slightly under the intent gaze. "Can I trust you with something, fox-boy?""Erm...it...depends."  
Kouga thought for a moment. If he sent Shippo to his den to grab Ginta, they might kill the fox. But...if he just left Yume here while he went to help pull the rocks apart...she might be ravaged by a demon who could smell her blood and see her as an easy picking. Growling slightly, his gaze turned back to Shippo."I want you go to my den and grab a wolf-demon named Ginta. Tell him I sent you and give him this," Kouga took off the sword tied around his waist and handed it over.

Shippo took it with his eyes wide. "They won't kill you if you have this, but, if you lose it, I'll kill you. Now get going."  
"But...I..I didn't say I'd go!"  
"Just do it, or Yume is going to die!" He growled viciously and Shippo eeped. "Just hurry, I'll stay until you get back."

Kouga sat down gently, moving Yume around in his arms and then placing her down in front of him. Shippo stared at Kouga for a moment, then looked back at the bundle of sticks and the book bag.  
"If I go get this Ginta, you have to hurry and bring Sango the sticks and back pack."Kouga smiled at the fox-kit. "You're becoming the little negotiator." He nodded with the smile turning into a grim grin. "Fine. I'll bring what's needed, but you better hurry yourself faster."Shippo nodded and ran out of the cave. I'll find this Ginta person, then I'll help Kagome and Inuyasha. At least now we have another demon to help....even if it is Kouga. But why's Kouga so set on keeping Yume safe? Shippo grinned to himself suddenly; a few of the clues had seemed to fall directly into place. So he did get over Kagome!  
  
Inuyasha was desperate now. Kagome was quiet again, huddled near a wall, breathing rapidly. He had finally convinced her that there was enough air for them to continue breathing, that she could breath, that she was all right.

It took forever and he was afraid she was going to pass out, though it probably would have been best if she did, but she had finally took his word for it and continued pulling in rapid breath after rapid breath. At this rate, he was going to lose her mentally before he could find a way out.

He sat close by her, but she had shrank away from his touch again. She didn't want to be touched, held, or comforted in any way anymore. It made him feel hurt, but he knew Kagome was just trying to be independent, trying to keep herself from fully panicking.  
For a while, they sat silent in the darkness. Inuyasha was staring straight ahead at the caved in wall, lost in his own thoughts. He had finally decided that the marking should go on; both had already confessed they loved each other before and that was another step in the marking.

Love and confession. After that, all Inuyasha had to do was visit Yume's home with Kagome...and probably finish it there.

"...I'm thirsty.." Kagome's voice, sounding strangely distant and hollow, spoke.  
Inuyasha quickly came out of his thoughts. Kagome was staring straight ahead. Her tongue flicked out lightly and licked her dry lips.

Inuyasha wished horribly that he had some water to give her, he would have given an arm for just a handful. Resisting the urge to hold her close, he placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. This time she didn't pull away. "I'm sorry, Kagome, there isn't any water." He responded slowly.

Kagome stiffened. She could feel the rage build with the panic now, there was no denying it. She was going to burst and Inuyasha was going to be the victim. She only had enough energy and control left for the panic, so the anger was going to come out freely.Except, something caused both of them to stiffen. They could hear voices and rocks rolling from the other side of the cave in, voices that made Inuyasha's eyes widen when he heard them.

It's the others! He thought wildly, suddenly grinning and jumping up. He instantly regretted jumping up for Kagome groped in the darkness and cried out, all anger forgotten and replaced by utter terror of being left alone. Inuyasha leapt down beside her and picked her up, hugging her tight.

"The others are pulling the rocks down to get us out!" He told her happily, squeezing her to him. "In a few hours, we'll be out of here!"Kagome didn't respond. She allowed him to hug her, but her panic was getting a stronger hold on her. Sure, the others were coming, but what if they died before they pulled the rocks down?

What if another cave in started? She stared blankly ahead and felt Inuyasha's hold relax, then felt his hands bringing her away from him. After that, her body went numb again and all she could do was hear.

"Kagome? Did you hear me?""Yes, Inuyasha, I heard you." Her voice was cold now, cold, hollow, and distant.  
Inuyasha shivered. The voice reminded him way too much of Kikyou. In fact, if Kagome spoke just a tiny bit deeper, her voice would have become Kikyou's. He grabbed her to him again and sat back down on the floor, taking her with him."Kagome."

**-With Kouga-**

Kouga greeted Ginta quickly and handed Yume over to him. He made a few orders, thanked his friend and pack comrade, then ran back towards the cave in.

Gina had been surprised that Kouga was asking to take a White wolf into they're lower pack, but he did not argue. He just went along with it and left, clutching Yume tightly. Kouga had been very descriptive of what would happen if something happened to Yume and Gina didn't want to dwell on it. Kouga could be a great person, but, when it came to a girl he could fall in love with, he turned into a...well...demon.

When Kouga neared Miroku and Sango for the second time, with Shippo at his heels, they cocked an eyebrow at him. He told them he was here to help and they shrugged. Working feverishly, they got as far as they could, which was farther than before since they had another demon to help.After a couple more hours and with a fire being tended by Shippo, Sango gasped. Kouga thought she had pulled a rock not supposed to be pulled and another cave in was going to begin, but he didn't have to worry. Sango was jumping happily and pointing to the last boulder they had removed. A small tunnel, a very small tunnel, could be seen."Shippo! Come here!" Kouga ordered and Shippo scrambled up the rocks. "Do you think you can turn into something small and crawl in there?"Shippo gulped. "Yeah, but what if it caves in?"Sango smiled reassuringly. "It won't cave in. We just need to know if it leads all the way to Kagome and Inuyasha. They must be starving in there."Shippo nodded and quickly used his tricks to transform himself into a small mouse. Sango then helped him into the hole and off he skittered. The others, including an untransformed Kirara waited impatiently for Shippo to reappear."What the hell? A mouse?" Inuyasha growled.He raised his fist to kill the rodent when it suddenly made a small popping sound. Kagome almost screamed, but bit it back. Inuyasha hadn't let go of Kagome and Kagome hadn't moved away. The 'mouse' squealed in happiness before leaping at the clinging couple.  
"Kagome!" it shrieked.Inuyasha let one arm fall to his side so Kagome could catch the crying Kitsune. Kagome burst into tears the moment the fox-kit was in her arms and she hugged him tight.

Inuyasha was growling to himself at the show of affection the Kitsune was getting, and had to bite back the urge to strangle him. He was making Kagome feel better and that's all that mattered at the moment.

"Oh Shippo! How did you get in here?" Kagome asked, her voice normal though her breathing continued to be ragged and short."They made a small hole! We're coming, Kagome, don't worry! I'll tell the others your both okay and then I'll help push the rocks away, okay?" Shippo said, struggling in Kagome's tightening grasp.Kagome nodded, gave the Kitsune one last squeeze, then let him go. She groped in the air for a moment and found Inuyasha's hand. His face grew a brilliant shade of red when she took his hand in both hands and clutched it close to her chest.

If Kagome noticed where she was holding his hand, she didn't voice her embarrassment nor did she let go. "Hurry, okay, Shippo?" Kagome asked after him, but got no reply. The Kitsune was gone.  
When she was positive she wouldn't get a reply, she threw herself into Inuyasha's arms and hugged him silently.  
Inuyasha held her lightly, eyes closed and his nose buried in her hair. She was terrified, he could sense it in her aura, smell it on her scent. He wished he could take away that terror, but he didn't know how. Then it clicked. If she could only see through the dark, maybe that would make her terror less pronounced.  
The Marking...

"Kagome....listen very carefully..."

**-The Others-**

Shippo reappeared and popped back into his normal form with a smile on his face. He hadn't been so sure Kagome was all right, but now reassured in the best way, he was as happy as ever. Kagome was all right, even if she was scared. And Inuyasha was actually taking very good care of her."They're all right! They're alive at least, but Kagome seems to be very very scared, Sango," Shippo explained.Sango had, at first, smiled happily. The tunnel lead straight to them! But, upon hearing that Kagome was terrified, her own fear and worry spread throughout herself. Kagome was claustrophobic? Or was she scared of the dark? Either way, those weren't good signs. She knew now that they would have to redouble their efforts to get Kagome and Inuyasha out of there as fast as possible."How far was it to get to them, Shippo?" Miroku asked hurriedly when he saw the expression on Sango's face."About two meters of stone, lots of stone," Shippo answered."Two meters...we can get through that. We just moved three meters in the last two hours," Kouga said, cracking his knuckles in a style that reminded them of Inuyasha. "We might even be able to get them out in the next hour or so!""Alright then, lets get moving!"They set about work again, heaving the heavy boulders with the help of Kouga and pushing the even heavier ones until they sent a small avalanche down. Two meters, that was all that separated them and their friends.

**-With Inuyasha-  
**

Kagome was listening, but she could hardly believe her ears. Inuyasha didn't have the slightest clue when instinct would tell him how to finish the Marking, but he knew it probably would be as hard as hell...and he probably would understand it as much as he did the time he first put his mark on her. What made it quite interesting, though, was that he had a feeling he wouldn't be doing much this time around."Do you want to continue the marking...and become...life-mates? This is all up to you now, Kagome, because my decision had been made a long time ago."

Inuyasha held her close to him while he spoke and felt Kagome's heart quicken, though this time not in panic.

This was a Dog's way of asking for her hand in marriage, she knew. And she also knew the consequences. She wouldn't be free to like anyone else, not that she would have in the first place for her heart seemed content with Inuyasha's love, she would be committed to him in every way, committed as a wife would be.

Because this was exactly like marriage! But, no matter how much her mind gave excuses, her heart continued to scream yes, yes she would become life-mates with him. There was only one thing even her heart had to listen to.

If she became life-mates, as Inuyasha had put it, with Inuyasha...she'd have to stay in his time. That was the conflict, but she knew she had made her decision the moment Inuyasha's teeth had bitten into her nose, the moment she had told Inuyasha she had loved him. "Yes," Kagome said simply. "Yes, I want to continue."

And so the acceptance was made. Kagome wanted to continue. Inuyasha felt a strange throb near his hip and reached down to touch Tetsusaiga.

Well, he had his father's permission. He thought happily and with a giddy smile. The sword itself was throbbing and Inuyasha felt cheer fly through him the moment he touched the hilt.

So his father had accepted his Kagome, his going to be mate, as his son's mate. Inuyasha probably couldn't have been happier or filled with more pride.

But he knew what lay next now, his instincts were giving him the details. No wonder Yume wanted him to head to her den to finish the Marking, for it was now going to be dangerous to Kagome.

He didn't want to hurt her, but this was what he had to do. As the pictures formed in his mind, and he held Kagome even tighter to him, he squeezed his eyes shut and ground his teeth together.

"Kagome, there is only one thing I have to tell you. You have to commit yourself to me, entirely, to finish this. Do you understand what...I'm telling you?"Kagome understood, but her mouth had dropped open and her face had turned a crimson shade. Oh yeah, she knew what he was telling him and it made a large flare of desire speed through her body.  
"Yes...Inuyasha..." she said slowly, pausing between words. "...Yes--I want to continue the marking."

Inuyasha nodded and let out a sigh of relief. As long as she said yes.... if she had said no he would have forgotten the idea entirely. All right then, but first, the mark. He had told her it was going to be painful, he had, but he knew she didn't really comprehend what he had meant.

"Keep your miko aura under control, that's all. If it grows too much, you'll end up killing me." Inuyasha warned yet again and Kagome nodded."I will.""And I trust you."Their lips met and in the darkness Inuyasha slowly pulled up Kagome's shirt. The bandages were a bother, but he had stripped them off as well.

Since she had been bandaged, she hadn't been wearing a bra and Inuyasha silent thanked her while deepening the kiss and drawing both of them down to their knees. This was it, the final mark, and then the bond along with the mark. The eternal bond.

While Inuyasha kissed Kagome, his hand snaked around to her back, claws out. Oh please, Kagome, don't scream. If you scream I'll have to stop. He prayed silently, eyes shut. His claws met her skin and he felt her shutter in his grasp."Shhh," He whispered to her, breaking the kiss slightly though their noses still touched. "This is going to hurt, but, please, don't scream.""I won't, Inuyasha."Her lips met his again and he kissed back firmly, his claws digging slightly into her back. He felt her gasp into the kiss, but she didn't stop.

Her hands were gently fiddling with the sash around his waist, keeping her mind occupied while Inuyasha's claws made the final mark on her back, the mark that bound their souls, while the mark that bound them physically would be made soon, privately.

Kagome kept her promise and didn't scream. 


	9. The Silver Wolf and The Festival

A/N: First on the lists...Shout-outs!

HPAngel589: lol, yeah, if they started doing that right in the middle of everything...yikes! Anyway sorry about the man-eating snakes!!! I didn't know snake-likers were in the crowd!

Sliver: Yeah; that was just the first chapter; apologies!

Titan6: Well thank-you!!

Seida02: Thanx, and really, it's the only one? I doubt that but still yay!

littleolmee: Yeah, Kouga deserves someone! And nah, I'm over that one reviewer, it was easy with so much other great reviewers!

Purplefr0g: Thx; I'm updating each chapter as soon as I can!

snowecat: Aw, thx, I'm glad others have faith in this story!

mirokuluver's friend: Okay, I'm updating; I want my cookie!!

inuyashafreak32: lol, wow! Thx for putting it on your fave stories list! :)

AlixMM: Thx for the support; hopefully I can keep it interesting!

Hpfreak2: lol, you do really like this fic! Thx for all those comments I appreciate them!

And thx to Jennifer & ktn for your comments too. Huggles to everyone!!!!! XXX Munches on cookie XXXX Peace, people! Enjoy Chapter Nine!

Dislaimer: Inuyasha? Nope, not mine.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

An hour later, Kouga ripped away the last rock and peered into the crater sized hole. Kagome and Inuyasha were sleeping upon the floor, held in each other's arms. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened. The marking was complete. He shook his head and walked away from them all.

"Kouga?""I'm leaving now, I've helped enough," Kouga answered quickly, then raced away before anything could be explained.Kouga ran out of the tunnels as fast as his legs would allow. The realization that he really, truly had lost nothing, if he had anything in the first place, with Kagome had hit him a tad bit harder than he would have thought. Inuyasha's claim on her is complete...and she would bear his cubs. Kouga thought miserably as the woods met him and the cave became a dot in the distance.

Yume swam into his mind. The way she had stuck up to him that day in the village seemed to stick more visibly and he could easily remember her eyes, brilliant forest green, almost neon in the light. That made a small smile sneak it's way to his face. Yume. Just keep thinking of Yume.

And he did keep thinking of Yume. From the cave until almost to his own den he continued to think of, mostly, her deep green eyes. Suddenly, a wild smell filled his nose and he was reminded of the snake's repulsive odor when he had found Yume on the brink of death.

He spun around in mid leap and looked for the creature that was making his nose burn horribly. A moment later, with no sign of the creature, he smashed into a tree carelessly. Shit!

Kouga picked himself up swiftly and swung his head from side to side. He was within three bounds of his own tribe, he was in his own territory now, and that meant something had the nerve to travel straight into his own territory with no warning. That thought caused his neck hairs to raise and a snarl to leap from his throat.

The odor became stronger, strong enough to choke that snarl a second after it was uttered. He almost passed out, it was that strong. But what the hell was it?! He thought savagely, one eye cringed from the stench. His hands, involintarily, had gone to his nose and covered it. What the hell is this damn thing?!  
It made itself known a moment later with a huge crash and it's jaws wrapped around Kouga's midsection. What-

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Yume woke up slowly and carefully. The very act of making her eye lids move upwards caused enough of her precious energy to drain away and make her wish she had never moved them in the first place. But she had to know where she was. The smell of this place was different, it had a familiar scent but it was different.

Slowly, her head stopped swimming and things became clearer. She could distinguish one scent from another now.

Slow and steady... She muttered to herself. Just take it slow. When she took another, deeper breath through her sensitive nose she flung herself upwards in surprise.

OWOWOWOWOWOW! She screamed to herself as every bone, tendon, and muscle gave way to instant pain in protest to her violently sudden movements. But, now that she was up, she couldn't lay herself back down without going through the same excruisiating pain.

Woozily, her vision blackening for a few seconds, she tried to make sure she was correct. Yes, she could smell the wolves, a lot of them. But she could also smell a different scent, a scent that was now on herself as well as in the stone walls around her. She was in the den of a demon she knew, laying on his hay bed for Kami-sama's sake! But she couldn't quite place who it was, it was right on the tip of her tongue, right on the tip of her nose in better sense.

Kouga.

It came so suddenly that she thought someone had spoken it to her. But no one was in the shallow cave with her, it was just her and a single wolf lying asleep a few feet away from her. That was right, she was in Kouga's den!

So where was the Brown Wolf? And how had he found her? Actually, she wanted to know the whole damn story, right from where she had passed out.

Confused and slightly suspicious, she drove herself to stand up. Her strength had returned somewhat, perhaps enough to actually get to her feet and move, but she knew it would slowly ebb away the moment she put one foot in front of the other.

She glanced down shortly at her body and wasn't surprised to find every wound was wrapped in cloth. Indifferently she wondered if it was a man who wrapped her body, then dropped the thought as quickly as it had come and walked out of the den.

The wolf that had been snoozing instantly woke up and trotted next to her.

The wolf had been given the job of watching over her, just in case she relapsed from the poison she had taken when the snake bit into her side. Now that she was awake, the wolf also had the job of making sure she didn't run off anywhere; Kouga wanted her right where she was. Panting slightly from the mid-day heat, the wolf followed

Yume out towards the edge of the cliff."Where is Kouga?" She asked, mostly to herself.

The wolf looked up at her, then sneezed violently. There was a nasty scent on the air, a scent that made the wolf cringe and wimper, though it also caused the wolf's hackles to rise. Something was out there. Yume could also smell it. Something repulsive, something she hadn't quite smelt before. And it was rather close, probably wasn't even on the border of Kouga's tribe's territory.Yume glanced down at the wolf beside her, the bones in her neck snapping back into place while the ones in her back did the same. It was painful, but she was too used to the pain. Besides, as long as she was healing properly, she didn't care.

"You smell it too, boy?" She asked the wolf and it wimpered in response. "Nasty smelling, isn't it?"

Another scent floated on the air, but this time it was coming from behind her. She turned her head and the rest of her body followed. Ginta, though Yume didn't know that was his name, came running down the slope waving his hand in the air. Yume raised her eyebrow and smiled tiltedly."Hello." She said softly.  
The wolf jumped all over Ginta happily before sitting beside him. Ginta grinned and placed his hand on the wolf's head before returning to the girl before him.He almost fell over. He hadn't really gotten a good look at Yume until now, lit by the sun, awake and walking. Her hair, which had been in a french braid until one of the others washed it for her while she slept, was loose and flowing all around her body. Her sun kissed skin glowed slightly but it wasn't those two things that stunned him. It was her eyes, a brilliant forest green, that entranced him and made his jaw almost fall to the ground. No wonder Kouga wanted her protected! Geesh, he has good tastes!"Eh...hello..."  
Yume chuckled heartily despite the pain it caused in her ribs. "Do you happen to know where Kouga is?" She asked and fixed him again with her green eyes."Kouga?" Ginta almost forgot who Kouga was. "Oh! Kouga! Yeah, he went back to help Inuyasha and Kagome with the cave in-""What cave in?" Yume asked worriedly, her face set.Ginta shrugged. "Kouga said that Kagome and Inuyasha were trapped in a cave in. He went back into the cave to help them because the others weren't doing so hot alone."  
Yume felt fidgety.

Inuyasha and Kagome caved in? For how long? She growled impatiently and her tail flicked back and forth. It hurt to do so, but, in her aggitation, she hardly felt it. Were they all right?

Without warning, Yume jumped off the cliff. Ginta, completely caught off guard, ran to the edge of the cliff and watched her touch down, then leap off again with renewed strength. He was amazed that she would be able to move after her injuries, but the thought had vanished when he remembered Kouga's threats.

If she got hurt, left the den, left the tribe itself, it would be his head.

"WAIT! YUME YOU CAN'T LEAVE!" But Ginta might as well have been talking to the air, for Yume wasn't in sight anymore. "Erm...well boys...I guess I might as well come up with a good excuse...heh.."

**XXXXXXXXX**

Kouga placed his hands between the demons jaws and pushed hard. He heard a grotesque snap and then found himself laying on his back, on the ground with saliva dripping all around him. Kami-sama, what the-!

Again, he couldn't finish his thoughts. His eyes widened at the demon before him. It was another wolf, a wolf higher up on the chain than he. Silver fur that sparkled at him in the afternoon light, brilliant golden yellow eyes, and seven inch teeth shone down at him in a snarl.

A Silver Wolf. He thought with a hint of fear.

Indeed it was a Silver Wolf, perhaps even a Silver Lord, and it seemed to be very very pissed off over something. It's huge body rippled in it's rage and the golden eyes turned deadly. Kouga knew that look, the look of death and...jealousy. Jealousy? Of what?! Kouga thought frantically to himself, jumping up to his feet and facing the Wolf.

The Wolf opened it's mouth and let out that putrid odor. Kouga knew what it was now and instantly wished he was someplace else. That was the horrible scent of death; rotting and intollerant.

Scraps of what could only be the Wolf's helpless victims dangled from his fangs and the saliva that dripped down was pink and green with blood and gore.

That was enough for Kouga. One seemingly deranged Silver Wolf could rip just about anything to shreds in as much time as it took to tackle a rabbit. With the help of the two jewel shards embedded in Kouga's legs, he raced off in a cyclone of wind.The Silver Wolf raced after him. It's ham sized pink tongue lolled out of it's mouth with strands of saliva dripping off of it. It's golden eyes turned red in it's rage and Kouga was once again reminded of the way Inuyasha had once looked, crazed and in demonic form. So the beast was wild and not just wild...it was on a bloodthirsty trip like a hound from hell."Kouga!"Kouga almost stopped dead in his tracks with the Wolf two bounds behind him. The voice, at first, had been band music to his ears, then the band seemed to drop dead. Yume, get away, now!

He thought frantically, continuing his own race. But he could hear now her own foot falls and knew she was getting closer, right on the war path, a direct cross road between them. She would intersect them and then the Wolf would-

What Wolf?

The thought struck him hard and he tripped suddenly. The Wolf was no longer following him. Instead, it had chosen a new path with enough fallen debri to show exactly which way it was heading. Kouga back tracked quickly, his eyes set ahead of him. The Wolf...why had it gone away? Then he remembered Yume. Damnit! Kami-sama, damnit!He took off again at full speed, following the Wolf's debri path, and it led exactly where he knew it would lead. Directly to Yume.  
  
Yume froze.There was no other way to describe it. Her whole body had frozen. Every joint stiffened, every tendon pulled taunt, ever muscle cramped tight, every bone locked the way she had been standing.

Ice seemed to replace her blood in their veins, thick freezing ice. There was a Wolf in front of her, a Wolf with maddening red eyes and a hanging jaw that was reparing itself quickly. A Wolf with silver fur dancing in the light. A Wolf she knew.

A Wolf she knew from so long ago.No words would utter from her throat, no thought passed through her mind, everything seemed foggy and surreal. This couldn't be, never, it definatly couldn't be. And yet, there the great Silver Wolf stood, mad eyes rolling and focusing on her, growl trembling the very Earth beneath her.

But that wasn't what snapped her out of herself. It was the other Wolf standing behind the Silver Wolf. The Wolf that, even if he was lower, had a snarl in his throat and his eyes growling in retribution.

"K-Kouga." She stated softly.All the ice seemed to melt slowly and be replaced with normal blood. All the tension went out of her body and she was once again herself, herself with her own injuries and her own mind. Surreal or not, she couldn't let a fight break out here, not between them.

Though, unknown to her, the two were already challenging each other-  
-and the Silver Wolf had leapt.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha had woken up quickly. The dream, the nightmare, he had been having only a few moments before continued to sit in his mind. The creature he had been forced to use the Kaze No Kitsu on was strangling Kagome, strangling himself, and he could feel both of their pain, their fear. All because he had finished the mark.

And now he woke with the shadow of that dream still haunting him, still in the back of his mind. He could now hear hushed voices and could feel himself being carried out into the light, into a light so intense it made his hands go up to his eyes and cover them."Inuyasha?" A voice spoke above him and the sense of being carried stopped.  
Unreasonable terror rose up in him and he threw out his right fist.

The creature! It had to be above him, it had to be the thing taunting him, taunting him while it strangled Kagome right in front of him, it had to be-  
-it had to be Miroku?

"OW! Damnit, Inuyasha!" The voice yelled out at him.Inuyasha sat up quickly and opened his eyes. He glanced around him frantically. Kagome?! Where was Kagome?! He found her still sleeping a few feet away from him in Sango's arms. His fear rose for just a second upon seeing her so limp, then he shoved the fear down when he saw Kagome's chest rise up and down in quiet slumber. So only his sleep had been poured with night terrors."I'll never try to wake you up again..." Miroku said sullenly from his left.The human/dog demon looked over at Miroku and saw the large fist dent in the buddhist's left cheek. So he had socked Miroku, not the creature. Keh, good. Shows him for trying to wake me. Inuyasha thought. Crossing his arms, he kehed again and voiced his thought.

"Don't try to wake me again and that won't happen, priest!" Inuyasha yelled at him.  
Then it dawned on him, very quickly. He was out in the open, not in a cave where a cave-in had happened. Kagome was outside as well. They were both alive. Kagome, he could tell, was hurting, but she was fine too. And that reminded him of what had taken place in the cave.

He didn't finish the marking as he should have. Kagome had to go home and he couldn't take her priestess hood from her, not yet. He knew she wasn't ready and he doubted he himself was ready. Instead, he had finished the last of the physical marking, the claw mark from the nap of the neck down to the small of the back. He grinned lightly to himself; that new mark would give him a new heightened awareness of everything happening to his Kagome.

Her feelings more specificly. And he'd be able to take her pain, if she had any at all, and make it his own. Of course, if he had finished the entire marking, Kagome wouldn't look as she did now. Something...would have changed to put it lightly. And he needed to talk to Kagome about that, make sure she was completely ready for it.

No wonder Yume wanted them to finish it at her den...

Inuyasha slowly made his way over to Kagome's side, worry etched into his features. He knew she was fine, could tell by the way she slept so soundly, but he had to make sure. He had to reassure himself. Gently he placed a hand on Kagome's face, a move so blandly outfront that Sango almost dropped Kagome's limp form.Sango knew that something had happened within the cave. She knew it deep in her heart and deep in her mind. Something had changed in the way Inuyasha was treating her with so much care, the gentle carress of his hand and the overly worried look on his face just made everything so plain.

And the blood on Kagome's back...that scared her to the seventh hell when she had seen it. Kagome had been hurt, but by what? The cave in?

Or Inuyasha?

**XXXXXXXXX  
**

Kouga jumped out of the way with a swiftness that was entirely knew to him. He dodged another swipe of the Wolf's thick and very powerful claws. The Wolf was in a rage, he knew, and it had to do with something about Yume.

Maybe it was Yume herself, the way she had stared in shock at the Silver Wolf towering above her.  
But now he knew he was fighting for her. When she had grown stock still, he took on the challenge she herself didn't. Even if it got him killed, or mortally wounded, he would fight to-  
-to what? Keep her safe? Or fight for the right to claim her? What in the world was he fighting for? This Wolf had a scent about him, a very jealous and possessive scent underneath the rage. And all of that possessiveness seemed to be placed right upon

Yume.

Yume was the object the Silver Wolf wanted to possess and that had driven Kouga mad, mad with....rage? It had to have been that, he had seen Yume first. Or did he? Confusion muddled his head for a moment, then he dropped every thought he had and continued to fight. He'd figure it all out later, when a Silver Wolf wasn't trying to rip his head off.

The Wolf closed in again. Kouga dodged. The huge paw came out of nowhere and slapped Kouga silly. Yume watched this as if in a dream, or a trance. She could hardly believe Kouga was fighting the Silver Wolf, but didn't dare disbelieve it

. The Silver Wolf...she knew him so well. Why was he here, raging and feasting on other Wolves and Villages? For her? His claim on her ended when he had walked off with another she-wolf....or had it?

Her fingers instantly went up to her nose. He had marked her, but the mark had faded and they had not finished the marking. If they had, there wouldn't be any doubt swimming in her head. They wouldn't have been apart and none of this would have been happening. He wouldn't have run off with another she-wolf. But...now he was back, but for what?And seeing Kouga.....seeing Kouga fighting for her-(Was she sure it was for her?)-tearing at the Silver Wolf in a mad rage made her heart leap into her throat. What in the world? Had her heart stolen to another? She was sure that that was impossible; as with Inuyasha, she had a past love to deal with.

And now, standing before her and fighting someone her heart seemed to struggle over, was that lost love.  
And she was standing there, letting them fight it out, instinctively letting them fight it out. That's when she knew, that's when she was possitive, that her instincts weren't kidding her. Her heart now belonged to them both and, the winner, would surely recieve it.

Old love or...newer love?....would take the heart that had once been bound and...bind it again.

**XXXXXXX**

Inuyasha and company looked down the tiny slope of the hill they were standing upon. Inuyasha let out a huge sigh of relief.

They had left the cave that very afternoon and they seemed to have found a place that might take them. Or, at least, it seemed to be a very accomodating looking place. All around the village down below were what seemed like human-looking demons and humans alike. Both traveled to and fro on the roads, stopping to acknowledge old friends or new aquaintences before tarrying on.

Miroku's eyes had widened to a point where Inuyasha thought they would roll clear out of his head. He had never seen such a thing, humans and demons alike! Oh the fights they must get into at times... He thought, his eyes skipping from one human-like demon to the human beside it.

Though...hadn't he heard that there must have been a village somewhere like this? But he had dismissed it as fairy tale; humans and demons just couldn't live together. Well, what to say of Inuyasha's mother and father, then? He placed his face into both hands and rubbed, hard.

Sango shook her head slightly. She wasn't in the least bit surprised herself, she had heard of the village and even passed by it on her travels. It was well known to her own village, when it was still standing. This village was the only one that could easily defend itself against almost every demon attack for it also had a very powerful Miko guarding a temple that stood out above all the other huts.

Kagome smiled to herself. Finally, people that actually knew what it was like to be with demons and respect them as equals. And a place where demons did the same. She looked up at Inuyasha and Inuyasha looked down at her. They both smiled before continuing their walk down to the village, possibly the only village Inuyasha would not be driven out of for being what he was.

As the company started down, Shippo let out a sigh. He was the only one that seemed relatively worried about when Yume would be back. He had told them all very quickly, for Inuyasha's hands had been around the fox-kit's throat, that Kouga's friend Ginta had taken Yume because she was very injured.

He also told them what he thought about the matter and excaped the clutching hands mercifully. Though there was something weird about the dog-demon. His heart hadn't been in strangling him, he seemed to do it half-heartedly, like it was expected of him. Even his growling seemed off.

Kagome had changed her shirt before they left the cave. Sango had asked silently, more with looks, about Kagome's large cuts on her back but Kagome just smiled and turned away. The marks haven't, and didn't still, hurt since Inuyasha's nails had been relieved of the wounds. Actually, she felt much much better, better in fact than she did in years.And it was strange the way the mark tingled sometimes and she could feel other emotions that was not hers to begin with. It was weird, like being totally angry and then, feeling it as if from far off, would be the unmistakable feeling of delight, someone else's delight. She even had a clue as to who's delight she would be feeling, the one person that gave her the marks.

Inuyasha. She could feel everything Inuyasha was feeling.

The village grew closer and Kagome looked up once again at Inuyasha. "Am I right? This village...both human and demons?" She asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. This is the only village that accepts demons, besides Kaede."Miroku looked around as they entered the village by gates and were given a very good welcome. "Seems they also like traveling groups that travel with demons. Or demons that travel with humans."If Inuyasha had something to say, he didn't say it. He was awed once again on how different the village had become, how more demon-like. He had only been in the village once with Yume as a child, but it still made his heart wrench to think about leaving it again.

This was the only place he could be accepted as human and demon, this was a place where him being a mixed breed was an honor, not a put-down.

Of course, Kagome had accepted him from day one, but this village had been the very first to accept him. The very first.

And it was great to be back, even if for only a day.  
"This is where anyone can belong..." Kagome whispered quietly and Inuyasha looked down at her.She smiled.Inuyasha smiled one of his rare smiles, one only reserved for her.A pretty, human looking cat demon walked up to them and offered them a place to stay their weary bones. They accepted heartily and were told a festival was starting, a festival only this village has every year."Your all lucky to have come today," She said happily with a flick of her, long bushy tail. "The festival will be starting the moment the sun goes down." She smiled a toothy, grinning smile.

The smile seemed to be aimed at Inuyasha and Kagome. "This is the festival of Marks. In other words, for those who don't know, it's to celebrate those who are newly life-mates and those that have been for a year or more. It's a demon festival, but most of the humans enjoy it too. Have fun."

Inuyasha and Kagome blushed and felt each others embarrassed pleasure.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

While Inuyasha and the others left the cave that afternoon, Yume and Kouga were still with the Silver Wolf. Kouga had driven the huge Wolf back into it's more human like form and Yume almost fell over. She was right, it was the Silver Wolf from her past clan. The one that left her for another she-wolf before the marking could be completed.

"Takashi...." She gasped.

Kouga looked over at her, then back at the figure before him. Now that the demon wasn't in natural form he looked like a push over. He came to about Kouga's height with a long mane of silver hair held back in a high pony tail. Around his waist was a katana, hardly used from the look of it.

Armor wrapped protectively around his chest while silver tuffs of fur were seen on his legs, his arms and his shoulders. Much like Kouga and Yume, only the fur color was different. He growled at Kouga and pierced him with bright golden eyes.

"Do you know this Wolf, Yume?" Kouga asked, wiping his bleeding brow with the back of his hand.

Yume nodded and the Wolf, Takashi, tossed some of his hair back over his shoulder defiantly. "He...he...his name is Takashi of the Silver Clan." She muttered in response though her eyes never left Takashi's form. "We were...together once. But then he ran with a different Wolf."

Kouga raised an eyebrow and looked back at Takashi. Takashi's jaw comically hit the ground."What do you mean, I ran with a different Wolf?" He growled nastily at her and she whimpered slightly.

Kouga almost passed out. This was a Yume he wasn't used to, a Yume he hadn't seen before. She was normally tall and dignified, holding her head high or laughing with her hair tossed back on her neck. She was good natured and honest, fun to be with. But now, this Wolf had reduced her to nothing more than a whimpering puppy with it's tail between it's legs.

Kouga wasn't going to stand for that, oh no, Yume was not going to be reduced by some other Wolf. Even if it was a Silver Wolf and him a meer Brown Wolf, he would not stand to see Yume degrated.

"You ran with Kairi. I watched you the entire time and the mark vanished, which meant you were with someone else," She seemed to stand taller now and her eyes were raising higher. "I watched you run with her for weeks. You finished your marking with her. So don't lie to me."

Takashi seemed to have forgotten Kouga momentarily and made himself menacing, approaching Yume with his claws raised as if to strike her.

Yume whimpered again slightly, but did not back down. She stood up tall despite the nervous twitching of her tail and locked eyes with the demon that meant to strike her, meant to knock her down.

That was it, Kouga would take no more. A demon yelling at a long ago mate may have been enough, but, going to stike her? That was against the Wolves morals. The women, the she-wolves, were to be treated with as much respect as you would treat yourself. T

hat was law, not just a moral, it was law. She-wolves fought with other she-wolves. Male-wolves fought with other male-wolves. Rarely did a fight break out between male and female, and, if it did, it was over territory or pups. The male would slink off for the she-wolf normally would start the tussel or would be driven off with tail between legs, whimpering. That's just how it was.

And now, Yume stood tall and took the strike this bastard laid upon her.  
Yume was cuffed so hard she was knocked off her feet and tumbled all the way to the base of a tree, where she sat up groaning

A split second later Kouga was all over Takashi, knocking him through a loop with a hit to the face, deadly acurate and with as much strength as Kouga could muster. Snarling in rage, Kouga leapt into the air and bicycle kicked the Wolf, knocking him once again off his newly gained feet.

Takashi got over the surprise of the first two hits and finally gained enough footing to block one of Kouga's attacks, but Kouga was hitting hard, harder than he ever hit before, and Takashi's blocking ceased to exist. Kouga now had free access to stomach, chest, neck, and face. He hit all of them repeatively."Bastard. Flea biting bastard, don't you ever touch a woman again, hear me? I'll rip your damn hands off and shove them clear up your ASS!" He snarled directly into Takashi's face, clutching his shoulders and shaking him hard. "Do you hear me?!"Takashi nodded painfully. Kouga dropped him and kicked him one last time before Takashi stood up and made his way back into the woods. With his tail between his legs. He stopped though, for a moment, and spit on the ground in front of Kouga before taking off once again. Kouga thought about catching him and ridding the Earth of his presence forever, but then thought better of it. He should see how Yume was."K-Kouga," Yume stuttered, a hand pressed to the cheek Takashi had struck. "You...you d-drove him off."Kouga nodded, though the growl hadn't left his chest. He was still pissed off to holy hell that a male-wolf struck Yume. His Yume. He thought slowly. Yeah, that sounds right. HIS Yume. With a grin at the thought, he walked over to Yume and helped her stand."He had it coming to him. Never in my life did I expect to see someone hitting a woman, and it didn't bode well." He looked at Yume's face carefully and watched her turn slightly red.Kouga hadn't let go of her hand the entire time he was speaking. His hand was clutching hers lightly, bearing in mind of both their claws, and his other hand was coming up to cup itself over the other two. He grew hot and his face grew slightly red as well and his hand slipped out of hers. Now it was his turn to stutter.

"E-Er...um...I-I guess you want to g-go see the others?" he suggested, though with a small scowl.

Yume nodded energetically. "Yes! I have to make sure they're alright, Inuyasha and Kagome I mean. I heard their was a cave-in! Do you know if they're all right?"

Kouga nodded. "Yeah, they're fine. I bet they went to a village thats close by too." He grinned now. "The village of Demons and Humans. I bet you know of that village."  
Yume brightened considerably and Takashi was out of her mind for the moment being. "Yes! I used to live there, sort of. Before I got my own den! Oh, I can't wait to see it, do you really think Inuyasha and the others will go there?""Oh, I'm sure. Even if they were on the other side of the mountain, Inuyasha would make them go there. The Marked Festival is tonight."Yume's eyes glazed over dreamily. "The Marks Festival...oh I went their once....it was so much fun." She let out a sigh. "Alright, lets get going then!""Are you sure you'll be able to run? You look...a little pale." Kouga said worriedly, but she just shook her head at the words."Oh, I'll be fine, don't worry," She grinned. "I actually feel much better.""Alright, but, if you start feeling faint...""I'll tell you."  
  
Kagome gazed around the village in wonder. Children, demon and human alike, were racing around the village playing a bunch of games. The human children were fast, they were running faster than Kagome herself could run.

They seemed to be right up near the demon children's league, for they even outran some of the demons at times. It must be from growing up with them, they're speed is much greater because it has to be. Kagome thought with a smile. Or they'd lose each time they played tag!

While Kagome was watching the children race around the dirt streets, Inuyasha was looking at some land on the outskirts of the town. With a mumbled 'be back later', Inuyasha ran off and dissappeared around the corner. Kagome didn't think anything of it and had actually been asked to play a game with some of the children. She readily accept and they blindfolded her.

Blind Mans Bluff, Kagome thought with a giggle. Oh, this is going to be fun. I'll look like an idiot running into things, a regular zombie. Her thoughts seemed bad, but they were in good nature and she even giggled some more.

Miroku and Sango had taken off. No one knew where they had gone, no one ever knew. Sango and Miroku had actually gone back to the tavern in which they were staying the night. Miroku stole whatever he could find, good old Miroku, and Sango sat waiting for him in one of the big rooms filled with many bed rolls. When he returned, they sat and talked. What they talked about would stay between them for the time being.  
Shippo and Kirara ran off to play with Kagome, laughing with her as she walked around with her arms raised, touching other people that weren't in the game and sheepishly appologizing.

The children were clustered around her legs and feet, dancing around her, calling out shrilly and racing up to touch her legs only to jump away again when she spun around. It all ended when she tripped and landed amid the group of demon kids, who had tried to save her fall, and they all collapsed in laughter.

Inuyasha watched Kagome while talking to a human. His heart swelled in the way she was playing with the children and his mind swam. She was beautiful, lovely even, walking around with her arms outstretched, yelping each time she would be touched by another child, racing towards where she thought they had gone and tagging a different person, an adult none the less.

He loved the way she blushed and muttered sorrys under her breath. Hell, he loved her, everything about her and everything she did or said. The human chuckled lightly at the goofy grin planted on Inuyasha's face.

"Newly mated?" he asked conversationally and Inuyasha nodded. "Ah, no wonder....no wonder..""Yes, but....shh. Keep it quiet. I want to surprise her," Inuyasha growled.

The man chuckled again. "Of course, of course! Sayamori would not be a man who would go off and tell anothers mate a big surprise." The man who called himself Sayamori walked off, continuing to chuckle.

Inuyasha growled lightly, but it was half-heartedly. His Kagome had finished the game by falling and was now laughing the laugh he could listen to for ages. And he planned to do just that, as long as that was what she wanted.

With surprise in hand, and more to come, he walked over to his Kagome and helped her up. He smiled down at the kids, hugged Kagome tight, then whisked her away.

"Bye, you guys! I'll see you later!" Kagome called back over Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Bye, Kagome! Bye!" the children, demon and human alike, yelled back, waving hands in the air. "Come play later!""I will!""Your good with them," Inuyasha observed after they left the rag tag group and came near the tavern they were staying at.Kagome looked at him innocently. "I am? I always thought I wouldn't have the patience."

Inuyasha shook his head. "You have the patience. You had the patience with me."  
Kagome went silent, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess your right."

They walked in compainionable silence. Inuyasha's hand found Kagome's and they clung together lightly, fingers entwined. This was how Inuyasha and Kagome wanted it. This was how it should have been and it probably would have been if Kikyou hadn't come.

All this would have happened a year ago, when Kagome was fifteen. Now, her birthday three days away, she was close to being sixteen. That age in the Sengoku Jidai meant she had come of age. In her world it meant getting your permit, heading into High School.

Speaking of her world, Kagome thought suddenly, maybe a day there might be nice. For everyone, not just Inuyasha this time. I bet Miroku and Sango would like to look around, both with their own reasons... She added with a bit of silent chuckling. Shippo would like the candy store, I'm sure of that.

Yume...well, if Yume gets back soon from where ever she is, she could come too. I doubt anyone would think twice about them coming, maybe Shippo with his fluffy tail, but those little things could be taken care of....

Ideas swam through Kagome's head and, with a smile, she thought about the movie theatures. They could watch a movie....but I doubt they'd sit still enough or quiet enough for one.

Still...

When the tavern loomed into view, Inuyasha's hand slipped out of her own. A little dissappointed, and Inuyasha felt it as sure as he felt his own heart beating, Kagome looked down. With a smile, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled her for a moment. Oh, he couldn't wait till her birthday.

He hoped she'd enjoy it, they had already talked about it. And Kagome had made her decision. Good, Inuyasha thought, now...now all it'll take is time. And Naraku..

No more thoughts now, not until after tonight. Inuyasha thought savagely, the old Inuyasha resurfacing. Not until after tonight! Tonight is their night, as long as the festival goes. His heart soared lightly. After tonight, Kagome will look different. After tonight, all after tonight.Yume looked upon her village once more, smiling widly. The villagers were crowding the street, the kids were moving between legs, everyones arms were filled with things. People were already drinking sake. The atmosphere was energetic; tonight was a festival. Kouga was standing beside her, satisfied of the look on her face. She's happy to be here. He thought with a grin. Maybe the festival will be as good as it was a few years ago."Come on, lets go see Inuyasha and the others!" Yume said, taking his hand without thinking about it and racing through the village.Man it's been so long! All the people, getting ready for the festival, made her feel giddy, like a child again. All responsiblity seemed to just lift off her shoulders, all the pain from her wounds and all of her fatigue seemed to just float away.

She was ten again, racing along at speeds she couldn't possibly reach now, with energy rising instead of depleting in every bound. Playing games, watching fireworks, playing with the other children, it was so much fun. She was glad to be back.

Kouga ran behind her, well, was dragged behind her. His face was set in a comical surprised look and his eyes kept moving from his hand clasped in hers to the back of her head.

With a smile, he ran faster, his hand gently squeezing hers, and moved beside her. Now they ran together, grinning, until they reached the tavern Yume was sure everyone was staying at.

She kept hold of his hand. For some reason, it felt right. Everything felt right now. Smiling happily, she walked up to the tavern and stepped inside. Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango sat on the floor. Sango and Kagome seemed to be chatting endlessly away, smiling, while the men drank a little sake.

It was strange what a festival could do to you. It totally transforms people into better people, more energetic and with a better personality. Kagome and the others seemed to be feeling it.

"Hey everyone!" Yume said happily."Yume!"Everyone but Miroku and Inuyasha stood up to greet her. Inuyasha was staring at Kouga and Yume, then at their united hands. He raised an eyebrow, but Kouga didn't say nor do anything. He just went back to Yume and squeezed her hand briefly before letting go and sitting down on the floor."Pass the sake, mutt." Kouga said good naturedly for once and Inuyasha passed the sake."So, what's with you and Yume?" Miroku asked as Kouga took a sip, grimising at the grass-like taste."None of your buisness, priest!" Kouga muttered, taking yet another sip.Inuyasha grinned and leaned back. Kouga could tell Inuyasha had had a few too many sake's for the hanyou's face was slightly red and his eyes seemed glassy. No more for you... Kouga thought with a grin. Or you won't make the festival."Aww, but there must be something between you two! You were clutching hands and you seem happier." Inuyasha said, his grin growing wider.

Kouga growled now, though sipped some more at his sake. Inuyasha's tongue had been loosened enough to be annoying and Kouga was going to be sure he didn't drink that much. With a sigh, he handed the bottle to Miroku.

The monk drunk half the bottle and Kouga sighed again. Festival spirit... He grumbled to himself.  
"I think you two should hold off on the sake until the festival is over with." Kouga muttered, taking the bottle and their saucers.

"Hey!" Inuyasha barked, reaching for the saucer and bottle."You especially. Think of what Kagome would say!"Inuyasha growled under his breath, but didn't protest anymore. Kouga grinned, the boy was drunk all right. Shaking his head, he stood back up and handed Sango the half empty bottle of sake and the saucers, then nodded his head back at the two.

"You might want to keep them away from it."

"And since when have you cared?" Sango asked in surprise.

"Since Inuyasha became Kagome's mate." He growled back before leaving the tavern in a huff.

Sango sighed, but then turned back to Yume. Yume's bandages had been taken off and, not all that surprisingly, the wounds were pretty much healed. A few left some scars that would be gone by night fall, but that was about it. Yume looked around for Kouga and watched him walk out with a sigh."I'll be right back, okay?" She told Kagome and Sango.They nodded and she exited the tavern. Putting on a tilted smile, she sat down next to Kouga in the dirt and looked up at the bloodred sky. Surprisingly, it was already becoming night fall and the village was in an uproar. The sky had turned the color of blood with a mix of purple and a few of the brighter stars were peeking through the color. Her smile widened.Kouga glanced over at Yume the moment she sat down. Her head was tilted up to the sky and she was watching the stars. The color seemed to reflect in her eyes while a faint wind blew about her loose hair. A smile touched his lips softly. She look gorgeous just sitting there with the darkness pressing in upon them."Yume?" Kouga started softly.Yume perked up and looked his way. "Hm?""Er....nothing." Kouga said and put his head down.

Yume smiled and then looked back up at the sky. The festival would be starting soon, the sun had almost set completely and the demons seemed the be tensing with excitment. The festival was a time for the newly marked, or, in human words, the newly wed.

An arm came around Yume's shoulders and pulled her close. She, a little surprised, went without objection, then smiled as her head rested at Kouga's shoulder. She looked up and smiled when she saw him looking down at her. He smiled toothily back.

She snuggled up against him and closed her eyes momentarily, taking in his musty, forest scent. Little did she know, he was doing the same, but he thought she smelt more like the rain, sweet and pure.

While Yume's eyes were closed, Kouga bent down and set a little kiss on her nose. Her eyes instantly flew open and her heart fluttered like a bird trapped in a cage.

"K-Kouga?" she asked stutteringly, but he shook his head.

His eyes locked on hers and instinct forced her to look away. Almost instantly, Kouga's hand came up and knocked her gently under her chin, forcing her eyes to stay on his.

Her heart pounded more. This wasn't new to her, she knew exactly what it would mean. And on the night of the festival too. Her eyes couldn't mask what she was thinking and Kouga smiled before gently, very gently, nipping her on the bridge of her nose.

Her eyes closed as he did so and she accepted the begining of the marking, a new marking with someone her heart pounding with, not against.

"Kouga...""Shh...the festival is starting soon. And now...I can share it with someone I can truly call my woman."

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Awwwww! There's your fluff, people! Read & Review!


	10. The Festival Part 2

A/N: Thank-you guys SO much for the reviews!! I don't have time for shout-outs today so go enjoy the chapter! Chow!

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Inuyasha stood up, sobered up a bit now. He cursed the sake horribly under his breath. It had been good while he was drunk, but now it gave him a splitting head ache. Miroku seemed to be in the same state, but also seemed to be taking it much better.

"The festival will be starting in an hour and a half!" a young girl, hanyou by the look of her fluffy ears, yelled into the tavern. "And I need to talk to someone named...Inuyasha!"Inuyasha suspiciously walked forward to talk to the young girl. She smiled merrily and held a piece of parchment in her hand with a brush already dipped in ink. Her ears twitched happily and Inuyasha's twitched as well.Softly, so only he could hear, she asked, "Do you know your mate's sizes?"Inuyasha, surprised, just stood there for a moment, then nodded. She smiled, took down the sizes and Inuyasha's name in Kanji, and walked off. How Inuyasha had remembered Kagome's sizes when she was talking to Sango, he didn't know. He just...did.When he walked back to the others, they looked at him expectantly. He just shrugged. "Taking a survey," he muttered before taking Kagome's hand. "Come on, we need to leave for the festival.""But...why do we have to leave early? It starts in another hour and a half!" Kagome asked, looking back to Sango.Inuyasha just squeezed her hand briefly. "I've never really been to one of these festivals, so I don't know," Inuyasha finally admitted. "I just have this feeling that we have to go to the temple."Kagome nodded before leaving the tavern with Inuyasha's hand in hers. "See all of you later!""Bye, Kagome!"They both walked in silence together until the temple came into view. Kagome had questions stirring in her head, many questions, but she had a feeling she'd figure it all out when they got there. Besides, the temple's beauty knocked all those questions out of her head.The walkway to the temple was paved in octagon shaped stones. The temple itself looked like the one she had at her home, the one she took care of, but it was made clearly of stone. Arches were above the gates, beautifully made mahogany arches. In front of the temple doors were two statues, both with their mouths open to say 'Uh' and 'Un', but had been frozen, it seemed, before they could get the words out. She smiled and her eyes trailed the trees on either side of them. Cherry blossoms fully bloomed with little pink leaves falling all around her.Inuyasha could feel her delight, his own was accumulating. So was his impatience. He had never been to this festival, he had said that truthfully, and he didn't know why he was being called to the temple.

Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen in style. Something about the fact that the girl-demon had asked for Kagome's sizes just made sure it was going to be in style.

Once they reached the opening, demons and humans of various sizes ushered them apart. Inuyasha smiled reassuringly at Kagome and she smiled back before they were entered into separate rooms.

In the room Kagome was lead into, which was huge and had it's own spring, a bath had been drawn. She smiled and undressed. She couldn't tell why, but she had a feeling she should just take the bath; clothes would be brought later.

Do I have Inuyasha's instincts now? Kagome thought indifferently. Well, if I do, it'll make this easier. I can pretty much tell what I have to do.

While Kagome sat in the bath and washed quickly, a human girl walked into the room and placed some of the finest clothing she had ever seen upon a small dresser. She then bowed at Kagome and left silently. Kagome got out of the bath, wiped herself down, and walked over to the clothing.

Kimono... She thought to herself as she picked up the wonderful fabric. And a beautiful one at that.... Her eyes grew wide in wonder and she slowly slipped on the clothing. The same girl who brought the clothing in came in a little later to help fit it all.

Drapped on her arm was the last part of the kimono itself and the obi. Both were designed with Inuyasha's name in Kanji and the colors, cherry blossom pink and white, made her breath catch. The girl finished the obi and started to work on Kagome's hair, placing it high above her head.

"Beautiful. You look gorgeous," the girl said with a bow.Kagome bowed back, but her movements were now restricted by the many layers of clothing. She walked over to the tub in her Japanese shoes and looking down into the water. A different person seemed to shine back at her and she gasped. Being dressed in Inuyasha's kanji made her feel more like his, but it also made her feel like she really was a possession to be had.

The feeling of being his made her heart soar and broke down each and every other bad thought. She was his, now and forever, and that's the way it would stay.

"His." She spoke aloud and then made her way to the door.Someone slid it open and she was taken to a different room to sit and wait with a bunch of other newly marked. All of the girls had kanji on their kimonos, each with different names. She smiled. The color varied for each woman, no two had the same two colors. All of a sudden, almost without warning, Yume entered the room dressed in dark green and silver.Kagome had been standing, but now she had to sit. A lot of the girls looked really nice, and Kagome herself thought she looked great, but Yume's colors and the way she stood a little embarrassed in front of them all made her heart stop.

First, it was the fact that Yume was here at all that made her heart stop. Who was he? She read the silver kanji quickly and had to sit down.

Kouga. Kouga had marked her. Kagome could even see the mark now, now that her marking was almost complete. Yume's hair had been put up high on her head as well, but rebellious strands swirled down all around her. Kagome smiled happily for her friend and stood back up to embrace her.

"Kouga! Oh, I can hardly believe it!" Kagome exclaimed happily.Yume smiled, but her smile was nervous and her eyes gazed around at all the other woman. "They look so much better than I do," she whispered into Kagome's ear and Kagome shook her head so savagely that her own rebellious, dark strands framed her own face."You look great! I can't believe this, this seems so unreal...""You're telling me..""But I thought you said you had been marked before...wait a minute.." Kagome said and all the enthusiasm fell from her face.Yume smiled. "That was long ago and that person who marked me is gone, with someone else probably." She spoke in such a manner that Kagome knew the conversation about it had been closed.Green eyes sparkling, Yume looked Kagome over. "You look so....so gorgeous...Kagome! Inuyasha is going to die! His eyes are going to fall out of his head!"They laughed and chuckled until the chatter in the room died down. An hour was surely up, someone was going to be coming. And sure enough, Yume perked up and looked at the door.

A boy dressed in the finest haori Kagome had ever seen bowed to them and motioned them out of the door. One by one, Kagome and Yume somewhere in the middle, the girl's filed out of the room and walked clear out of the temple.

Outside, fireworks were going off. Everyone was chanting vibrantly and Yume's eyes grew wide and childlike. Kagome was much the same. It didn't matter if either of them were two or two hundred, they were already starting to feel child-like in pretty clothing. Like a child playing dress up. Kagome smiled at that thought.She smiled until the men came into view. A lot of the girl's oohed and aahed, some of the newly marked, Kagome was sure. But Kagome couldn't make herself ooh or ahh, because Inuyasha had taken her breath away. She barely had enough breath to keep her upright, let alone speak.

Yume seemed to be in the same state, for Kouga had come into view. Both girl's tore their eyes away from their men and looked at each other before once again looking back at them.

Inuyasha was dressed in another haori, but this one seemed a little more fitting, a little more body forming than his traditional one. And this time the haori was completely white, white, probably, to match Kagome's white Kimono.

His Tetsusaiga was tied around his waist in dark red with Kagome's name sketched across it. She would have needed to sit down, but, seeing as there was no place to sit but dirt, she stayed upright and walked slowly to him.

Kouga looked quite the same, but in different colors. A green haori had been tossed over him, green to match Yume's kimono. Around his waist was his own katana and her own name was stitched to the fabric.

Not all over the place as hers was with his, but mostly around his waist, where the katana was tied. In silver. Kouga's hair was kept up, but it seemed brighter even if it was dark and his hair was raven. It just seemed brighter, more fluid. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him.

Both Inuyasha and Kouga looked on with the same comical expression. Stunning.... That was the only thought that traveled through their minds. Seeing both girls with their own name strung across their body made them flush and their heart beat faster. It was true, these woman....they were their own to love. And they loved them back.Kagome and Yume stood in front of their respectable mates. Kagome placed her hands into Inuyasha's and looked at him, eyes shining. This was like a marriage ceremony... Kagome thought with wide smiles.

Maybe that's really what it was, a marriage ceremony for all to see. That's what the festival reminds me of. Kagome thought and kissed Inuyasha softly.

Yume stood in front of Kouga as if waiting for his approval. He just grinned, embraced her tightly, and kissed her gently. Yume took that as a great and kissed him back, then took his hand and walked slowly with the other couples. No, the other mates.The night went by so fast, Kagome could hardly remember it. Yume, however, had it burned into her memory. The walk down the cherry blossom lane, the huge meadow now dark but still welcoming, the golden threads wrapped around one of her wrists and one of Kouga's. S

he remembered it all, and she doubted she'd ever forget. At the very end, after the festival of Marking, Yume fell asleep in Kouga's arms and Kagome did the same with Inuyasha.  
None of them could have remembered a happier day in their lives.

Kagome woke up late in the morning. The others had slowly risen themselves only a few minutes before she herself had. Yume and Kouga were standing in their normal clothing, the festival clothing had been packed away for them all to keep. Kagome had thanked the village over and over again, somewhat over enthusiastically. Then they left with the blessings of many other coupled mates and many other newly weds. When they left the village, Kagome turned to Yume."What was the festival really for, Yume?" Kagome asked dreamily still caught up in last night's memories.Yume smiled and entwined her fingers with Kouga's. "It was a marriage really, not much of a festival. They just make it a festival because everyone watches. And there's food, games, sake, and then the Golden Cords.""I remember them...the demon priest said something about them...but I can't remember what he said."Yume chuckled lightly. "The Cords were the entwining of both the souls. In other words, you and Inuyasha are now soul mates as much as you are physical mates."  
"So it really was a marriage ceremony.""As much as it possibly could be."Kagome looked down at the ground. "Oh God! And I've done all this without my mother knowing," she said, suddenly sullen.Inuyasha looked a little distressed. Should he have taken her to her mothers before they reached the village? Probably. I'm such a jerk! Inuyasha thought to himself. I guess we should-Inuyasha was shaken out of his thoughts by Kagome. "Let's go to my world for a day. Just for a day. Today...well, today I just want to be for everyone."Miroku instantly turned around. "Are you sure? You actually want us in your world?"  
Sango rolled her eyes. "Piece of gold for your thoughts," she muttered and Miroku grinned."Well, if everyone wears those skirts Kagome wears..."WACKMiroku fell unconscious."Hentai..." Sango muttered, replacing her Hiraikotsu and glancing down at the unconscious priest.She then deliberately stepped over his body and continued on her merry way.

Kagome's mother was never the unruly type. She was always sweet and kind, with a hard edge only if you rubbed her the wrong way with a razor blade. She herself had been through some troubling years and still she never lost her charm or kindness.

So when Kagome came home, she was met by her. Warm embraces and subtle little questions were the only things that escaped her lips while always sounding concerned.

Of course, even Mrs. Higurashi would be slightly perturbed, though rather interested, when a whole group of people followed Kagome all the way out of the temple and near the doorway to the house. She put on a welcoming smile almost instantly when she saw how nervous all the people seemed to be, and how highly curious their eyes were.  
"Mother, these are my friends that I travel with." Kagome smiled warily, hoping her mother would take it well. She took Inuyasha well, anyway. "I'll introduce you to them-"

"Nonsense. Invite them in and I'll make a late lunch. I'm pretty sure they could introduce themselves at the table, right, Kagome?"Kagome was flustered, but only for a moment. "Oh yeah, sure." She then turned back to look at all the expectant faces. "Erm...you guys can all come in. My mom is going to make lunch."Nodding, though still looking around in wonder, the others followed Kagome into her house. Inuyasha was two steps behind Kagome, Miroku and Sango behind him, Yume and Kouga behind them, while Shippo and Kirara made up the end of the chain.Warm smells emitted from the kitchen. Yume, Kouga, Shippo, and Inuyasha smelt the food first and all four of their mouths watered. Sango and Miroku took a few more moments to start to smell the enticing scent, but soon their own mouths were watering as well. They didn't exactly have breakfast that morning nor did they have an early lunch. Actually, to be more precise, they ate nothing."Whoa, what smells this good?" Kouga asked, more to himself, but Yume shrugged her shoulders in response."I don't know, but Mother has a wide variety of cooking, all of it good, I assure you," Kagome said with a smile as they entered the kitchen."Inuyasha, could you be a dear and help Kagome set the table for everyone?"

Inuyasha nodded, though seemed a little reluctant to be doing, what he thought as, "woman's work''.

Still, he'd drown himself to get on Mrs. Higurashi's good side.  
Everyone kneeled down the moment Kagome and Inuyasha were finished setting the low table. Mrs. Higurashi then called up the stairs for Kagome's grandfather and Souta.

Racing down the stairs, Souta almost fell flat on his face when he tripped slightly but caught himself. His grandfather, who had been behind him, almost had a heart attack the moment the boy tripped. Still, the both of them made it down safely and without harming themselves or others.

"Hey!" Souta exclaimed in such surprise and wonder that everyone looked up at the boy. "Kagome, who are these guys?" It wasn't meant to sound rude, but, in all his excitement, Souta had actually sounded ruder than he intended."Now, now. They'll have a chance to introduce themselves later, Souta. Sit first," Mrs. Higurashi said in a startlingly calm tone, as if having demons and humans from a different time entirely inside her house and having lunch with her was as common as rain falling from the sky."Aw, but mom.."With a stern look, Souta not only shut up and sat down, he shut up, sat down, and looked down at his plate. Kagome grinned slightly though said not a word. Everyone waited patiently for someone to do something, which would get them no where, until Kagome's grandfather suddenly stood up with a bucket of water in his hands and splashed it all over Kouga, Yume, Shippo, and part of Miroku.

Stunned into stupidity, the four soaked companions glanced at their wet clothes then at the man who had thrown it at them.

"Be gone, demons!" he growled and looked as if he was about to throw more water on them when Kagome finally got him to calm down."...er...." Kouga seemed a little more than lost for words.Yume burst out laughing. She couldn't help it, getting splashed with water (holy she assumed) by an old man in the twentieth century just struck her as funny.

As she laughed, others joined in. Kouga was second to last, still a little perturbed at having some crazy old man throw water on him, but finally started laughing. Kagome's mom was last for she was a little angry that her father would try to banish the demons right at the lunch table. Of course, she would see to him later.

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. She hadn't told them that her grandfather tries to excorsice demons that enter the household. In fact, the reason was because she had forgotten. Still, she was slightly embarrassed even if they were all having a laugh about it.Awkwardly, though still chuckling to herself, Yume stood up and bowed slightly at Mrs. Higurashi once she gained enough control to quit the chuckle. "Pleasure to be here, though I'm not totally sure where here is, Mrs. Higurashi. My name is Yume. As you probably already know, I'm a Wolf demon."Mrs. Higurashi smiled at Yume and nodded her head slightly. "Pleased to meet you, Yume."Yume smiled generously back before sitting down once again beside Kouga. Miroku decided this would probably be the best time to introduce himself, even though he was as soaked on his right side as if he had only partly washed his robes. With a sly smile, Miroku stood and bowed, staff held lightly in his right hand."Madam, my name is Miroku. My lineage is that of many priests and priestess. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." He then sat back down slowly, almost easing himself next to Sango.Kouga looked reluctant to stand, but Yume smiled warmly at him and all resistance to stay where he was melted away from him. Growling slightly, he shuffled to his feet and bowed."I'm called Kouga, Mrs. Higurashi. I'm also a Wolf demon.""Nice to meet you, Kouga-dear."Sango then stood up with Kirara on her shoulder and bowed slightly as well. "My name is Sango. I'm from a long line of demon exterminators. This here is my friend and comrade Kirara. She's a Cat demon." Kirara mewed slightly.

It wasn't long before the late lunch was over with. Souta had asked only a few hundred questions and each one was answered as good as they could be answered.

Mrs. Higurashi was silent during the conversation, eating, though listening as well as she knew how.  
When the meal was over, everyone helped clean up. All of this was new to the group from the past, but they didn't mind. They didn't want to seem rude, even if Kouga and Inuyasha grumbled during the work. Kagome only smiled.

A knock at the door and Kagome was gone. Inuyasha followed at her heels, sniffing slightly and acknowledging the fact that Kagome's heart was racing in expectation. Who could she be expecting? Growling slightly and crossing his arms, he stood a little behind Kagome and watched as she opened the door.A bunch of girls looked in, smiling and giggling. He raised an eyebrow, growled again, and started to turn away. He was stopped, though, when a voice spoke up."Hey, Kagome, is that your two-timing boyfriend?" Eri asked, straining her neck to get a better look at Inuyasha

.  
Inuyasha bristled. Two-timing? Who was this girl to say that he was two-timing Kagome? He spun around and went to bare his teeth, but Kagome stopped him. She slipped her arm around Inuyasha's waist and looked up at him. He noticed that her eyes sparkled slightly in the sun's rays and instantly forgot everything around him.

"His name is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is Eri," Friendly wave from Eri. "Shizuko," Another wave. "And Hamuri. They're friends from school," Kagome informed him.He grunted in response to the waves, though nodded his head and let his back lean forward a bit in a sort of bow. When that was done, he turned around and walked off. His cheeks were burning red from having gazed in Kagome's eyes and his heart wouldn't stop hammering.

He was sure Kagome could feel it even as he walked away because of their bond. He growled lightly to himself, half-heartedly. This was Kagome's world, he'd have to seem to belong.  
"Wow! He has white hair, Kagome! And...were those ears sticking out of his hair?" Hamuri asked, still trying to gaze at the receding figure.

Kagome giggled nervously. "Ears? You've got to be kidding me, Hamuri!"Eri tapped her chin lightly and gazed at Kagome. "Was he wearing an old haori? Like the Buddhist priests used to wear during festivals?"Kagome waved the questions away and was going to invite them in, then thought differently. All of her friends weren't dressed for her world. There would be WAY too many questions as there was."Kagome! Kagome, hey, what are you-"Kagome looked down and saw Shippo frozen in the act of tugging her pant leg. He was staring at Kagome's friends, gulping slightly, with his hand still clutching the pant's fabric. Ecstatic cries came from her friends as they all reached down to pick him up. Eri fluffed his tail lightly, eyes glazing over dreamily."What's going on here, Kagome? Who's this?" Shizuko asked wide-eyed. "He fits the description of one of those demons from the Sengoku Jidai..."Kagome let out a heavy sigh. She didn't want her friends to know about her secret life, definitely know, that would put too much worry into them. And too many questions. But, she had risked bringing everyone here for a day and now she'd have to deal with the consequences. With a nervous smile, she dragging her friends in by the arms and took Shippo out of Hamuri's hands."Boy do I have a lot to tell you.." She muttered and her friend's glanced at her in confusion. "Come on into the living room.."  
  
Kouga, Yume, Sango, and Miroku were sitting in front of the TV, gazing at it in wonder. They had heard Kagome talking about the TV, but they never thought.... Miroku flicked through the channels, landed on Ghost in a Shell, and watched. Sango was just as intrigued, tilting her head slightly, but it was Kouga that looked the funniest."Kouga, move your head!""But I want to see-""Your blocking the screen!""How do they put the people-""KOUGA!""ALRIGHT ALREADY!"Kouga stood up and huffed, backing away from the TV he had placed his face right up to. Was it his fault he had never seen one in his life? No, but the invention was still mysterious to him. Huffing in anger, he went over to Yume and sat down. She grinned at him, placed her hand on his head, and scratched lightly with her claws. He started to doze off, but then shook his head and growled playfully at Yume."You need to relax some more, Kouga." Yume said, then sniffed the air. "Kagome's coming, and she's got friends.""Now, just promise me you won't freak out. You already heard the story...now you're going to meet the group.""Freak out? Us? Come on, Kagome!""I thought you knew us better!""Alright..." They heard Kagome sigh and watched as she rounded the corner. "Well, here they are."Heads perked up. Inuyasha's ears stood on end as he heard the voices as well, though he didn't move his head. He continued to watch TV. Shippo jumped out of Kagome's arms and landed in Sango's, who was dressed in her kimono.Kagome's friends gazed from one face to another, eyes wide, then all three of them let out equal shrills of surprise.  
"You've got to be shitting me!""Hamuri! My mother's in the next room!""Sorry Kagome, but...Kami-sama.."Yume looked at Kouga, and their eyes locked in equal surprise. Miroku looked at Sango and their eyes locked as well. Kagome told her friends about the Sengoku Jidai? After a moment of awkward silence, Yume stood up and bowed slightly."Hi. My name's Yume and....I'm a Wolf-demon from the Sengoku Jidai."

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**Gasp!**  
Kagome told her friends!!! Read and Review!


	11. In Present Time

A/N: 101 REVIEWS! W00t w00t!!!! OMG! Thank-you peeps! You don't know what this means to me! (Does victory dance) Shout-outs:   
  
**Goodcomment**: aw thx! I'm probably gonna have the characters back in the Feudal Era by the next chapter or so. The final battle is something I'm working on, so of course our hated clay reject Kikyo is bound to make an appearance!   
  
**Sabster**: You're my hundredth reviewer!!!! Thx!! Gives Sabster Inu plushie I don't know of many authors who have Kag tell her friends about her other life so I just did it myself!   
  
**Purplefr0g**: lol, "line of shock" yeah, I luv that. And yup I'm definitely thirteen going on fourteen in what, December? Ya, round X-mas! And Kagome is probably gonna tell her mom somewhere in the next few chapters.   
  
**Gem Gamgee**: 1:15? Kewl!! Lol, wow I'm, uh, flattered? :)   
  
**Aura Black Chan**: Yeah, I wanted the whole mating thing to be different from just 'bite the girl and screw her' lol, thus the ceremony and the festival!   
  
**Inuyashafreak32**: her friends know, yup! But you'll think it's a good thing after you've read this chappie. (Wink)   
  
**Hpfreak2**: yeah, I've got a lot of the 'she told her friends?' (Sweatdrops)   
  
**Skywolf**: Ya, fluff is cute!   
  
Huggles goes to all those ppl up there and also: Zir, Naito-Kage, singergirl22, seida02, fushigiyugifan80, THANK-YOU!!!   
  
HUGE thanks to everyone who's taken the time to push that button and type something down! Huggles for everyone, kisses for everyone, and what the hell, inu plushies for everybody!!!! (Another victory dance!)   
  
ENJOY THE CHAPTER!   
  
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Kagome's friends chatted away for hours, switching from one person to another. They wanted to hear all about the Sengoku Jidai, what types of demons there were, their histories. They wanted to know it all.   
  
When they finally exhausted themselves with conversation (and twittered Inuyasha's ears until he was sure he would have to slice off their hands to make them stop), Kagome decided to show them around the town.   
At once, Kagome's friends insisted on going. They were such good sports about the whole story and they were so willing to keep the group under cover that Kagome couldn't resist. Besides, she hadn't seen her friends in days! Smiling, she nodded and they ran back to their homes for the ''goodies.''   
  
They waited patiently for them to return, though Inuyasha kept smoothing his ears gently. They hurt and he whimpered so low no one but Kagome, who was leaning against him, could hear. She looked up at him in concern and he pointed to his ears.   
  
"I don't think your friends knew they were attached..." he grumbled and Kagome laughed.   
  
She reached up and gently scratched his ears. He purred slightly, a very unrealistic sound and so suddenly surprising that Kagome let out a cry. His eyes snapped open and he gazed at her. She shook her head and smiled one of her huge, all teeth showing, eyes closed smiles she reserved for Inuyasha only and then went back to his ears.   
"Kagome, we're back!" Eri yelled as she ran back into the living room, grinning.  
"And we brought the outfits!"   
Kagome grinned back and jumped up. She ran over to them, looked over the outfits, grinned again, and then nodded.   
"Looks good!" Kagome turned back to the others and smiled. "Come up to my room, we're going to get you looking like you belong in the twentieth century!"   
  
It took another hour to get everyone dressed, but it was a fun hour. Kagome and her friends showed the Sengoku group how to put the various clothing on and then left them to their work. Inuyasha and Kouga were the only ones who called for help.   
  
Kouga had stuck his head in the sleeve and couldn't get it out while Inuyasha got the shirt right, but put his pants on backwards. Kagome, burning red, helped him put the pants on the right way.   
The underlings were what killed Yume. The bra thing just wasn't really cutting it. Kagome helped her put the 'contraption' on before Yume shredded it in frustration. When everyone was finally dressed, they all walked out to show off how the clothes looked on them.   
  
Kouga's outfit consisted of a pair of plain black slacks and a white shirt with "bite me" written across the front in black symbols. The words dripped red as if depicting blood. Around his neck was what looked like a black collar with inch long spikes sticking out of it. Surrounding one wrist was the same.   
Inuyasha was wearing something similar, except different. His pants were normal blue jeans and his shirt was black with the words "Dog eat Dog" on them. They sparkled gold and red. Two dogs, big pitbulls it looked like, were growling at each other underneath the letters. He had his hair held back by a spiked wristband. His hair was thick enough for it. He also had a head kerchief on to cover his ears.   
  
Miroku was sporting black pants and a red shirt with the words "Human Vacuum" twisted along the front. On the back were the words "The type all girls want in their home". Around his head was a studded head band and Kagome had spiked the top of his hair. He grinned at everyone.   
Yume was next. She came out in a long silk black skirt with cherry blossoms stitched from the top of her thigh to the bottom of her right foot. Her shirt was short and white, exposing a little belly and most of her arms. The Kanji for ''predator'' stood out on her shit in bright pink. She smiled. Her hair was held up as it was during the festival but around her neck was the same spiked collar Kouga wore. Except this throat accessory came with a little loop to attach a leash.   
Sango was dressed in a skirt as well. Her skirt was shorter though, the same color as Yume's, ending at her knees and puffing out. The shirt was a bright sky blue with a the kanji "butterfly" stitched down the front. Sango had her hair up in her same fashion.   
  
Kagome, after assisting everybody, came out with a pair of flared jeans and a matching halter-top with her hair in a loose upsweep. Eri had given her a necklace with a small cat hanging from it and Kagome thanked her.   
Shippo was last. They could hardly find anything his size, so they had to visit a few stores. What they came up with was a cute little outfit, almost like a swimmers outfit. The shorts were blue while the shirt was blue and white stripes. He came out and posed for them nerviously, smiling, before racing up to Kagome and jumping into her arms. The only way to cover up his tail was giving him a blue coat long enough.   
  
Dressed and ready, they left the house. Kagome's mother smiled as they left, watching the door way a long time after they were gone, eyes sparkling. She knew her daughter was keeping a secret and she knew what the secret was.....she could see it in the way Inuyasha and Kagome acted around each other. But she'd wait; she knew her daughter would come to her.   
  
"Where are we going to go, Kagome?" Sango asked.   
"How about that place you told us about...the...erm...movie theature?" Miroku asked, looking around.   
"I want to visit your school, Kagome!" Shippo jumped up and down in ecstacy.   
"Can we get some food, I'm starved!" Inuyasha sniffed around.   
"You just ate, Inuyasha!" Kagome looked at him, amazed. "Is your stomach never ending?"   
  
Inuyasha huffed. "I'm just hungry..."   
"We'll get some food, I promise, Inuyasha. Actually I was going to go show you the movie theature...they're playing Ranma 1/2 the Movie."   
"Oooh, we're really going to see Ranma?" Hamuri asked and Kagome nodded. "Yes! I've wanted to go see that for a long time now!" She pumped her fist in the air and chuckled.   
"But...Hamuri...it just came out!"   
"Oh...yeah...heeheehee." She brought her fist down with a sheepish grin.   
Everyone started laughing. They walked down the street slowly, passing houses and stores and watching the cars pass. When Inuyasha passed a Sushi restaurant, his stomach growled in reply to the smell. It growled so lowed everyone heard it and they're heads snapped in his direction. His face grew red, he crossed his arms, and growled. That resulted in more laughter.   
  
When they finally reached the movie theater, Kagome paid for all of them. She had to use two weeks worth of allowance, but they were all able to get in. She smiled, showed them the way to the theater, and picked out a row of seats for them all. Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko had to sit in front of them for one row only held the Sengoku group and Kagome.   
  
"I hate previews..." Kagome heard Eri say. "They're so boring..."   
"Want me to get some popcorn for everyone?" Kagome whispered and heads bobbed.   
"What's popcorn?" Yume asked, leaning forward to see Kagome.   
Kagome sweatdropped. "It's...er...it's..."   
"It's good, trust me," Shizuko said helpfully. "It's just buttery goodness!"   
Yume nodded and smiled. "Alright. Pobcorn it is then."   
  
"Not Pobcorn, popcorn," giggled Eri.   
"Oops, sorry." Yume shrunk back in her seat sheepishly.   
Kagome laughed as she made her way out of the theater and into the snack bar. Inuyasha fidgeted in his seat for a moment before Miroku spoke up beside him, chuckling.   
  
"We all know you can't help yourself, just do yourself a favor and follow her!"   
  
Inuyasha growled low, but then disappeared as he stood up and raced down the isle to the snack bar. Miroku sighed and looked around the theater before his eyes fell on a group of girls up front. He excused himself, left the row, and went up a row behind the giggling gaggle of girls.   
  
"What a pervert..." Sango muttered, though her eyes narrowed as the girls looked Miroku up and down.   
"Where'd Miroku go?" Kagome asked as she came back with the food.  
Sango pointed up front angrily. "He's being himself," she grumbled and Kagome shot her friend a look.   
"Sango...? Is there something I should know between you tw-"   
"No! You know there's not, Kagome!" Sango said hurriedly and Kagome shrugged.   
  
"All right." She turned back to Inuyasha, who was helping carry the refreshments.   
  
"Can you go on the other side and hand the drinks down?" she asked.   
He nodded, bent his knees, and leaped over the seats. He landed easily on the other side. Kagome almost dropped the popcorn bags she was holding, eyes wide. She was sure she had mentioned no superhuman stuff! Good thing not that very many people were sitting in the theater. No one had seen his death defying leap.   
  
When he was done, he leaped back with two drinks in his hand.   
"Inuyasha! No demon stuff, remember?" Kagome whispered fiercly.   
  
Inuyasha cringed, thinking she was going to sit him, and clutched the drinks as if they were a life savor and he a drowning man/demon. But Kagome just sat down and he let out a sigh of relief. No hard floor meeting face this time. He sat down beside her and handed her her drink.   
  
Everyone heard a loud slap and looked towards the front of the theature. They all sighed at the same time, shaking their heads. Miroku came up the rows a moment later with his hand on his cheek, eyes closed, sighing in exasperation.   
  
No one said a thing as he sat down, but Sango refused to look at him.  
When the movie started, Kagome had a hard time keeping the demons in their seats. They kept letting out surprised gasps and trying to get up to the large screen to see if there were people behind it. Even though the people were cartoons. Kagome sighed, begged them to continue sitting, and watched the movie.   
  
A girl sat down behind Miroku and, as if by radar, Miroku turned around to chat her up. During the conversation, which everyone was listening to but not showing it and waiting for the all famous line. Miroku finally used it.   
  
"Will you bare my child?" Miroku asked.  
The girl looked at him, looked at her drink, and dumped it over his head. "In your dreams."   
  
Kagome sighed. "You'd think you'd start learning the meaning of no when it's said to you so often...."   
  
Inuyasha snorted, hiding his smirk behind a large mouthful of popcorn. Kagome gave him a look, but he didn't see it or at least he pretended not to. He was too interested in the popcorn and the movie screen.   
  
Still, when Kagome's hand gently clutched his, he dropped his popcorn and quickly looked at her. She smiled and he grinned. Geez, Kagome's smiles were contagious...   
  
The movie ended with not as many embarrassing moments as Kagome thought there would be. Yume had accidentally tripped and fell flat on her face in her heels. Kouga, who was not even two steps behind her, fell over her and cursed loud enough to catch the entire theatures attention. Besides that, everything went well.   
  
Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko now seemed to be running the show and quickly came up with a new idea for a place to go. It was almost dinner time, which meant food. Inuyasha almost leaped at the idea, but kept his feet on the ground since his arms were wrapped protectively around Kagome's shoulders. Still, his stomach rumbled in responce even if he couldn't.   
  
Kagome's friends all giggled at Inuyasha with his arms around Kagome, commenting on how cute it was, until he growled warningly at them.   
  
They continued to whisper and giggle, but much more quietly. Miroku and Sango were looking opposite ways, pretending to be interested in the falling leaves and the bright blue sky. Or was that an ant on the ground? Once, they looked at each other and Sango quickly glanced away, though Miroku continued to watch her with a slight smirk on his lips.   
  
"Where is this place anyway?"  
"Don't worry, Inuyasha, we'll be there soon."  
"Geez..."   
  
Yume looked up at Kouga and smiled brightly. Her smile was catching as well for Kouga smiled back, his arm held protectively around her shoulders.   
"Maybe after this we should head down to that new dance club they opened!"   
  
Kagome shook her head uneasily. "Er...maybe we shouldn't. I don't think-"   
  
"Awww, Kagome your such a worry wart!"   
"Yeah, it'll be fun. Even if your friends are demons, they'll enjoy it!"  
"But...you don't understand...! It's really loud and they have-"  
"-keen ears, we know Kagome. You've told us already!"   
  
Hamuri grinned and pointed across the street. "There's the restaurant! It has some of the best food in Japan!"   
Inuyasha looked across the street hungrily. The best food in Japan? Then he would love it there. It'd be as if he had entered Nirvana...that is...if the food really was that great. He grinned from ear to ear, releasing Kagome and turned around. He motioned for her to climb onto his back; he'd carry her across the busy street.   
  
Kagome's friends gasped as she did as proposed. She felt uneasy and a little embarrassed, but Inuyasha was insisting and she was married to him; in a demon way anyway. She had to ask her mother to get married in her world...and what a mess that would be. Still, she wasn't going to back down now. Shippo held onto her shoulder firmly with one hand while the other held his chocolates he got at the theater.   
  
When Inuyasha had a firm grip on her thighs, he proceeded to race across the street the second there was a small opening where no cars ran past. He got half-way there before having to leap over a blue Sadan barreling down the six lane high way. He roared curse words at the driver, but made the trip safely. Shippo, unfortunately, lost his candy after spilling it all over the street.   
  
Miroku looked at both Yume and Kouga as they nodded to each other and grinned. Kagome was yelling from the other side of the street, but not even the demons could hear her over the roar of the passing cars. Without pausing, and in perfect unison, Kouga and Yume leaped on top of the first car barreling by and instantly pushed off to land on top of another, and another, and another. When they finally landed on the sidewalk, they were fifty feet away from Kagome and Inuyasha. They ran towards them.   
  
Miroku and Sango raised eyebrows at each other, then sighed and shook their heads. Kagome didn't want them to do that, they were sure of it, but it was too late now.   
  
Now they had to figure out a way across without being road kill. Besides, Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko were silent behind them, which meant they were awed by the demons. Kirara mewled on Sango's shoulder.   
  
"No..I don't think we should, Kirara. Kagome looks on the verge of a heart attack."   
Without thinking, she grabbed Miroku's hand and ran across the street. Brakes squealed as feet slammed on them, cars skidded to a dead stop after traveling fifty miles an hour, and two crashes were heard as people broadsided others. Still, Miroku and Sango made it safely and with not a scratch on them, though Miroku continued to look between his hand linked with Sango's and Sango's face.   
  
"Kami-sama!" Kagome gasped, ash-faced as she stared at the six lane high way all blocked up with cars. Eri and her friends walked by without fear of being hit, for no car was going by. "You all could have...all those cars...what if..?!"   
  
Sango put her free hand on Kagome's shoulder and Kagome fell silent. Without another word, and without looking back at the cars and the people coming out of them yelling, the group walked into the restaurant. Shippo took a moment to stick his tongue out at the cars before racing in after them.   
  
The place smelled heavenly for demon and human alike. Rich smells were floating from the kitchen and into the dimly lit restaurant. A waiter that looked as if he ate at the place a little too much sat them at two big booths. He looked Inuyasha over skeptically, but kept his mouth shut.   
Kouga, Yume, Sango, Miroku, and Hamuri sat at one booth while Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Eri, and Shizuko took the other. The waiter had told Sango that pets were not aloud, but Kirara just hid under her mistress legs to avoid being caught. She was not about to stay outside like a regular everyday pet.   
Kagome ordered for all of them, picking things they might like. Inuyasha had wanted to order, but his little reading problem didn't help. He just grumbled and allowed Kagome to speak. With a nod, the waiter whisked the list away and disappeared into the kitchen.   
"This place smells so good! What do you call it again, Kagome?" Yume asked, craning her neck to see her.   
  
"It's called a restaurant. A place I might not be able to afford..." Kagome added hollowly.   
  
Eri stuck up her hand. "Excuse me, but didn't we say we would pay the bill?"  
"Yeah, we brought enough money to feed an army here!" Shizuko added with a smile.   
"Something told us to save up this month!"   
  
The door opened and shut, the little bell dingled above the door. Kagome jumped when Inuyasha let out a vicious growl and picked her head up to see what was the matter.   
"Hojo!" All three of Kagome's friends gasped.   
  
Hojo smiled at them and waved, then saw Kagome and walked over. His eyes briefly lay upon Inuyasha and the rest of them, then fell upon Kagome again. He gave her a big winning smile and she smiled nervously back.   
"Hello, Kagome! How are you feeling? Any better than last week?" he asked, once again eyeing Inuyasha. Who is he?   
"Yeah, much better. Thanks," Kagome answered, smiling.   
  
She could feel Inuyasha's anger rising. It was bubbling slowly up, accumulating with each word spoken to her from Hojo. She could also feel his jealousy and his over protection coming up with it and scoffed lightly. If Inuyasha got up and got into a fight with Hojo...well...not even in his human form could Hojo beat him. In other words, a fight between them could not, would not (she would make sure), break out.   
  
"Can you introduce me, Kagome? I'm pretty sure we haven't met yet." Hojo asked, motioning to Inuyasha.   
  
Kagome looked between them, heard a smaller growl excape Inuyasha's lips, and nodded with a high pitched laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry! How rude of me. This is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is Hojo."   
  
"I know who Hojo is," Inuyasha growled, glaring at Hojo.   
Hojo calmly stared back. "Oh, really? That's odd, because I don't know you."   
  
Inuyasha made to push himself up out of the booth angrily, but the waiter came a second before he could move and placed the food down in front of them. Kagome let out a breath of relief and watched as Inuyasha blinked, look down at his plate, growled again, then picked up his chop sticks.   
  
He proceeded to take a bite of his food and wait for the giant waiter to move out of his war path. He had a bone to pick with this Hobo kid and he wasn't going to let it go unpicked.   
  
"Well, I see your eating right now, Kagome, so I'll see you later. Head on down to the park when you're done, okay? I just want to talk to you for a moment, ten minutes at most. Is that alright with you?"   
Kagome looked at Inuyasha, then at her friends. She let out a sigh and nodded lightly, trying to smile.   
  
Inuyasha choked on his food so suddenly that every head in the restaurant turned their heads to gaze at them. Kagome, surprised, beat her hand against his back to help him either swallow or cough up his food.   
  
He swallowed it, slammed the chop sticks down on the table, and snapped his head up to gaze at Hojo. It was then that Kagome realized she should have given Inuyasha glasses to cover his unusual colored eyes.   
  
Hojo raised an eyebrow and backed up a step, but didn't give in any more than that. This guy seemed rather dangerous. He didn't want to leave Kagome with him if he was as dangerous as he seemed to be. He didn't want Kagome hurt. Squinting his eyes in what he hoped was his best death glare, he stared at Inuyasha.   
But Inuyasha was the first to speak.  
"Keep away from Kagome. She's mine, bastard," he growled low, so as not to attract any more attention than they were already getting.   
  
Yume was up in a flash. She pushed past another person heading back to their table and stood in front of Inuyasha, blocking his view of Hojo. She smiled warmly at the human boy before looking over her shoulder and giving Inuyasha a warning look.   
  
"I'm sorry about my friend's behavior...er...Hojo was it?"   
  
Hojo nodded, eyes slightly wide.   
  
"My name is Yume and I'm also a friend of Kagome's." She bowed slightly. "It's great meeting you."   
Yume could hear Inuyasha growling and grumbling behind her, but he wouldn't uproar again. She let out a small, relieved sigh before straightening up to her full height, grinning again, and looked back at Kagome. Kagome gave her a small smile and Yume took that as she approved of what she was doing.   
"Nice to meet you too, Yume." He looked past Yume to Kagome. "See you at the park later."   
  
Yume gently prodded Hojo away from Inuyasha because the dog-boy was getting ready to jump back up again. Hojo left without question, though stopped at the door way to give Kagome a little wave before completely leaving the restaurant.   
"Geez, Kagome, he's got it bad for you," Yume heard Eri whisper to Kagome, who just shook her head in exasperation.   
  
Yume resumed her seat, slumping down slightly. That boy was going to be a problem...almost like The Silver Wolf was a problem in the past. She looked up at Kouga as he placed his hand on hers and smiled warmly.   
Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. That was Hojo? Boy did he have guts to face off with Inuyasha...   
  
Miroku started to smirk and his hand wandered towards Sango's leg. She gazed off, wanting to catch Kagome's attention, and almost let out an ear piercing screech when she felt his hand gently caress her thigh.   
  
She thought about reaching for her boomer rang, remembered that she had left it in Kagome's room, and instead grabbed Miroku's hand and twisted it sharply. She glared at him, stood up, and walked off towards the ladies room.   
  
Miroku watched as she disappeared and felt his heart sink. He was definitely going after her in all the wrong ways, but he was just being playful that time. Still, he seemed to have upset her. Shaking his head and rubbing his abused wrist, he stared at his food, left untouched. With a sigh, he set about eating.   
Shippo was still grumbling about his lost chocolate. It was all Inuyasha's fault! He thought, eating what was on his plate. If he didn't make me jump like that... He stopped grumbling, though, when Inuyasha moved his hand across the table and set a new box of chocolate in front of him.   
  
Inuyasha didn't say a word, just continued to eat as if nothing had happened. Shippo's chopsticks had been stopped in mid air and he stared at Inuyasha, eyes wide.   
"Just take it, before I change my mind, fox-kit!" Inuyasha hissed, looking up a bit before looking back down.   
  
Shippo gulped, smiled happily, and pocketed the box of chocolates. Kagome's changing him! Yay! More chocolate for me and less beatings from Inuyasha!   
Dinner was ate in silence. Sango had come back a few moments after leaving, setting herself right back down next to Miroku and picking up her chop sticks. She refused to look anywhere near Miroku, even when he offered her some of his sushi, and stared off into space when she was finished eating.   
She was pertrubed. When Miroku had touched her thigh, she actually felt a jolt run up her spine, as if she had just been struck by lightning. Not good. She kept telling herself that she didn't think anything about the pervert, he just caught her off guard. But everyone seemed off guard.   
  
Kagome's world seemed to have that effect on you.  
With a sigh, she placed her chin into the palm of her hand and continued to stare off dreamy eyed.   
At the booth next to theres, Kagome's friends were still trying to convince her to go to the new club.   
  
"Come on, Kagome! It'll be a lot of fun!" Eri begged. "Hojo wants to talk to me, remember?"  
"Screw Hojo," Inuyasha grumbled.  
Hamuri giggled. "Screw him? Why, Inuyasha, I thought you'd say 'screw me'-"  
"Hamuri!" Kagome snapped.  
"-but of course Kagome is not like that." Hamuri finished, though continueing to chuckle.   
  
Kagome and Inuyasha went red instantly. The two girls laughed almost uncontrollably, holding each other. Inuyasha glared at them, crossed his arms, and then softened his gaze as he looked at Kagome. Beautiful... He found himself thinking before turning a deeper shade of red and turning his head to hide it behind a curtain of hair. He thought back to the night in the cave, felt a jolt run through him, and crunched the memory. It was sweet, but he'd have to think of it on his own time.   
  
"Everyone done?" Heads bobbed and Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko got out of the booths.   
  
"Good! We'll pick up the bill. You guys, and gals, head to the park. We'll meet you there!"   
  
Kagome nodded and waited for Inuyasha to scoot out. When he seemed to refuse to move, Kagome let out an exasperated sigh, sat on his lap, and skidded across him.   
  
Inuyasha bolted straight, watched with wide eyes as Kagome stood up, straightened her skirt, and smiled down at him. Without thinking, and squashing more feelings, he stood up and took Kagome's hand.   
  
Kouga watched as Inuyasha and Kagome left the restaurant. He then led Yume out of the booth by both hands, watching her face and her body as she stood. She smiled at him, wrapped her arm around his waist, and then leaded both of them outside where Kagome and Inuyasha waited.   
Miroku looked at Sango. Sango looked back at him. She slid out of the booth and fixed the shirt she had on, allowed Kirara onto her shoulder, and looked back at Miroku. He slid out after her with a smile.   
  
"Something on your mind, Sango?" he asked.   
She shook her head violently. "No, nothing." She then followed everyone else out of the restaurant.   
Shippo jumped onto Miroku's shoulder, hugging his neck and speaking in his ear. "Something's wrong with Sango. I think she's mad. Whaddya do this time, Miroku?" he asked accusingly.   
  
Miroku put up his hands and shook his head slightly. "This time I don't think it has anything to do with what you have in mind, Shippo. But, indeed, something is bothering her."   
"Well then, you should talk to her!"   
Miroku raised an eyebrow as he walked towards the door. "And when did you become the little problem fixer?"   
  
"Ever since I helped Kagome and Inuyasha get together!" He grinned, leaped off his shoulder and proceeded to follow at Kagome's heels.  
  
By the time the group reached the park, it had grown dark and clouds were gathering above them in some silent omen. But no one was bothered by either the darkness nor the clouds. Four of the people were comfortably wrapped in their lover's arms. Two of them were trying hard not to look at each other, and the rest were chatting away amongst themselves.   
Miroku knew Sango was looking at him out of the corner of her precious eye, but he couldn't catch her in the act. She would always be looking at something different when he brought his eyes to her. And were those tears? No, never. Sango didn't cry unless it had to do with her brother.   
As Miroku stared harder at her, Sango became aware of his heavy gaze and forced herself NOT to look at him. If she did, he might see something in her eyes that she didn't want him to see, something she couldn't deny. And then what? He wouldn't stay with her, she was sure of it. He did not seem like a one woman person and Sango didn't want her heart broken. If anything, she'd just avoid her feelings, avoid his wandering hands, and keep what she thinks hidden.   
  
"Sango?" Miroku asked after a few moments.  
"Yes, Miroku?"  
"Is there something bothering you? You've been silent for a long time."  
"It's nothing. Trust me."  
"Are you sure?" He stopped her now and allowed the others to get out of hearing range.  
Sango felt his hand on her shoulder and looked up at him. "I'm possitive, Miroku. Come on, we're losing them."   
She made to continue on, but Miroku's hand stopped her once again, this time clutching her wrist gently. "If there is something you don't want to tell me..."  
Sango looked up at him and read his eyes. He looked sincere enough, but sometimes looks can be deseaving. She shook her head, put on her best smile, and gently took her hand out of his grasp.   
  
"Let's get going then."  
The others were waiting for them in a grove of cherry blossoms, smiling and waving them to hurry up. Hojo was waiting a few meters away from them, waving to Kagome, and, as Miroku and Sango ran towards them, they heard Inuyasha snarling.   
  
"Please, Inuyasha. Just bear with me. I'll be just five minutes, promise. Any longer and you can come get me. Deal?" Kagome pleaded, wrapping her hands around his.  
Inuyasha stopped snarling enough to answer her. "Five minutes. That's it. And if he touches you-"   
"I know, Inuyasha. Five minutes and I'll be back!" She kissed him swiftly and ran over to Hojo.   
"Five minutes, bastard. Then you're mine," Inuyasha growled angrily and walked a little farther into the grove, out of hearing range.   
Sango looked over to where her friend was talking and then back towards Inuyasha's retreating figure. "He really doesn't like him, does he?"   
  
"I do believe he'd rather rip his head off than give Hojo a chance to talk to Kagome," Yume answered, staring off after Inuyasha.   
"I'd rip his head off, too, if he wanted to talk to you," Kouga growled. "I'm surprised Inuyasha let her go at all. I wouldn't have."   
Yume grinned, reached up, kissed Kouga, and then looked lovingly into his eyes. "Now can I go talk to him?" she asked in her most innocent voice.   
  
Kouga looked at her, eyes half open half closed from the kiss and nodded his head. "As long as you kiss me like that again..."   
  
Her grin widened and she kissed him again. "See? It's not surprising to see that Kagome was able to. Inuyasha wants her happy, just like you do, Kouga. See now?"   
Kouga nodded slightly. Women could be rather convinsing... He thought, slightly amused. Especially my woman. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her to him for a moment, then let them rest at her waist.   
  
Meanwhile, Kagome stood there and waited for Hojo to say something. She was smiling, though it was only a polite smile, and her eyes kept flicking back to make sure Inuyasha wasn't going to rush them. That's all she needed. Instead, Hojo moved closer to her and grasped her hand gently.   
"What is Inuyasha to you, Kagome?" he asked, so softly she hardly heard him.   
"To me?"   
  
"Yes. Is he your boyfriend?" His gaze intensified and Kagome squirmed uncomfortably.   
"Hojo, it's not-" Before she could tell him they were actually married, Hojo smiled.   
"Good, because I've wanted to do this for ages."   
He leaned forward and kissed Kagome. She was so surprised that she just stood there for a moment, then pulled away sharply and wrenched her hand from his. Angry at being kissed before she could consent it, she glared at him.   
"I'm married, damn it!" Kagome whispered fiercly. The words just flew from her mouth so fast, she hardly knew what she was saying.   
Hojo looked surprised and looked at her hand. "I don't see a ring, Kagome."   
  
"BASTARD!" Inuyasha roared, seemingly to come from no where at all.   
Before Kagome could stop him, he tackled Hojo and wrapped his hands around the poor boy's throat.   
  
The others were stunned into paralyse. Inuyasha had been watching, he had watched Hojo kiss Kagome, watched her pull away. And he had flew by so fast no one could stop him. Even Yume was stunned at his speed. He seemed to have been just a blur, nothing more.   
  
Finally, Yume regained herself and raced to Hojo's aid. Behind her, everyone was following, Kouga keeping one step away.   
Even from this distance, she could see Hojo turning blue. Inuyasha's rage was so great, Yume was afraid he'd rip the boy's head off, just like she had said before, though before it had been a joke! A second later, Yume was wrestling Inuyasha off of Hojo.   
Kouga took Inuyasha away from Yume for even she was struggling to hold the raging half-breed. Out of breath and heart racing, Yume watched Kouga wrestle Inuyasha into submission and hold on for dear life.   
Throughout all this, Kagome stood stock still. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had brought them here to have a nice, relaxing day away from shard hunting and other demons, away from Naraku and the threat of Kikyou, just away. And it was all falling down on her.   
"Let...me...at...that...fucking piece of...SHIT!" Inuyasha growled, reintroducing his struggle.   
  
"Calm down! Why don't you think of Kagome, dog-shit? Did it even occur to you that she might just be a little...oh, I don't know...upset?" Kouga growled at him between deep breaths, keeping Inuyasha under control.   
Inuyasha stopped struggling and calmed himself. When his rage departed, at least for the moment, he felt something else, something that wasn't his emotion.   
  
Guilt, regret, sorrow, and deep, deep surprise. Kagome's emotions. They were all mixed together to form some deeper, much stronger emotion he couldn't name, nor understand.   
Kouga was right for once, he wasn't thinking about Kagome! Was he that thick, that evil hearted? No...he wasn't to blame for his jealousy. Being half dog demon had it's perks...and it's downfalls. And boy, was this a downfall.   
"Let me go to Kagome," Inuyasha said hoarsely. "Kouga, let me get to Kagome."   
Kouga thought for a moment and looked over at Yume. Yume was standing over Hojo, one hand stretched out to help him up. When she heard Inuyasha's plea, she nodded slightly and closed her eyes. Oh yeah, this day was going well for Kagome. She thought as she helped Hojo up, listening to his ragged coughing.   
  
"Sorry, kid, but you can't mess with someone else's bond," Yume spoke gently as she released his hand and walked back to Kouga.   
Hojo just looked at them. That man Kagome was 'married' to was definately violent. How could she have chosen him? Was there something he didn't see? He drew in another breath and looked up at them. Inuyasha was speaking to Kagome, softly and gently, using the same hands he strangled Hojo with to embrace her tightly, fiercely.   
  
There must be something, because Kagome could see the goodness in anyone. With a sigh, he made his leave as quickly and as silently as he could.  
"Kagome..I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Inuyasha whispered fiercely.   
Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko exchanged looks.   
  
"Okay. We think this is the best idea we've come up with all night." Eri was almost bursting, her face shining brilliantly. "HIDE AND SEEK!"   
  
Kagome almost fell over. It was almost passed ten o'clock, three hours since the Hojo vs. Inuyasha incident. Inuyasha had showed her how sorry he was so many times she felt dizzy just remembering them. And now, her friends wanted to play Hide and Seek?   
  
"And not just any hide and seek, it's boys against girls! Using a large part of the city, since the demons have such a huge advantage," Shizuko winked. "And us regular humans don't have the super senses."   
  
Inuyasha looked at Kagome's friends. "Hide and seek? What's that?"   
  
Kagome looked taken aback, gazing up into Inuyasha's confused eyes. "You've never played Hide and Seek?" She then remembered who she was looking at and giggled. "It's kind of like hunting, except when you find your prey you don't kill them."   
  
"Men are hiding first, we already chose that. And you have to count ten full minutes! It's gonna take that long to find a hiding place. No hiding in houses, either, or garages. Thats the only rule!" Hamuri finished with a clap of her hands. "Base is that mail box over there!"   
  
"Base?"   
"If your prey reaches the base before you can catch them, your still the hunter."  
Inuyasha grinned. "Alright, prey, but you better run fast."   
Kagome grinned back. "Like a cat."   
"You better make that a cheeta!" Hamuri said with a chuckle.   
The game started without any further questions. They all knew the boys would get the point sooner or later. But, as Sango started to run off with the other girls, Miroku pulled her back again.   
"Please don't kill me, maim me, or otherwise," he whispered.   
"What do you mea-"   
He cut her off with a swift kiss, grinned at her, and ran off before she could retaliate. Sango just stood there though, shivers and jolts of pleasure still running up and down her spine. She then got over the inisial shock, pressed her fingers to her lips, and ran off towards the other girls.   
  
What in the world...was that...about...? She asked herself as she caught up with Kagome. And I didn't pull away...   
  
Kagome looked sideways at her friend. Sango was blushing furiously and had two fingers to her lips. When Sango realized Kagome was looking at her, she put her hand down and waved her hand. Talk to you later... Was what Kagome thought she was saying and smiled gently. Something happened! Between her and Miroku, hopefully..   
And so the gaggle of girl's ran the same way, keeping in a large group, and even Yume was getting caught up in the game. She was grinning happily and a strange light had come into her eyes. Kagome grinned and pushed herself faster.   
When the girl's ran past a spot a good fair way away from the boys, they split up. Yume and Shizuko ran one way while the rest of them stayed together, laughing. The clouds threatened rain, but still no one payed them any attention. If it was going to rain, then it was going to rain. Who was going to stop it? They were having too much fun.   
  
Kagome's group ran past an alleyway, slowed down, and looked within. Maybe there would be a good hiding spot somewhere in there. The stench would surely throw Inuyasha off at least. Giggling, but shushing each other (which only brought on more giggling), they entered the dark alley way.   
  
A voice sounded within it and Kagome leaped back. The giggling stopped abruptly when Sango was suddenly torn from the rest of the group.   
"Sango!" Kagome cried, running to her friend's aid.   
  
A hand came out of no where and pushed her down. Her rage flared and she was about to speak when something cold and hard pressed against her temple. Fear dripped down her spine colder than the now falling rain. Demons she could deal with, it was human's she was afraid of.   
  
Sango screamed in frustration from somewhere farther into the alley and Kagome once again made a move to help. The gun pressed harder into her head and she cried out in pain. A muffled strike and a urmph! sounded again and the struggle within the alley between Sango and one of these other people was done.   
  
"Got the wild one under control, boss."   
"Good, check them for items." The one with the gun told some other person.  
Looking back, she saw that Hamuri was sneaking away and getting away with it. In another second, she'd be gone and racing back to the boys. And in that second, everything seemed to go wrong at once.   
  
A flash of lightning licked the ground and lit up the entire area. In that instant Kagome saw Sango lying in the alley farther down with three men standing above her. She also saw that the men were big and that there were four more of them. Each seemed to be holding a gun.   
  
Could she not get away from the threat of death for even ONE day?! And what about her friends? They were in there too, Sango unconcious, and the other two behind her.   
  
Hamuri was gone. It was only Eri and Kagome now, not two friends, but one.   
  
And that was enough to make her worry about her safety. This wasn't going to end well, her gut told her that. It seems like Fate loved to throw curve balls Kagome's way and she was playing without a bat.   
  
"Anything on that girl?" The guy standing near Kagome asked.   
"Ow! Let me go, you-!"   
"She bite me, the bitch bit me!" A man howled and Kagome heard a urmph as Eri was dropped.   
"Kagome! Kagome, yell, yell! Scream as loud as you can, get Inuy-"   
The man that had been bitten by Eri smashed the end of his gun into the back of Eri's neck and she fell unconcious instantly.   
  
Kagome bit back her rage, opened her mouth and made to scream, when the gun was suddenly shoved into her open mouth. She bit down on hard metal.   
  
"You scream for whoever she was talking about and I'll blow the back of your neck out. Got me?"   
  
Kagome nodded fearfully. "Good. Hand over any valuables you have." He shoved the gun into her mouth harder and she tasted blood as it scraped against the roof of her mouth. "Now."   
She didn't have any valuables, but she did have some money left over. She pulled it out of her pocket, handed it over, and watched as he pocketed it. The rain was falling in sheets now and the lightning was flashing constantly.   
  
She could now see her advicary. Timing her move right, Kagome waited, waited.   
  
Another flash licked the ground and Kagome sprung. She pulled her head back and the muzzle of the gun left her mouth easily, slick now with her blood and the rain.   
  
She then fell flat on her back and kicked the guy right where no man wishes to be kicked.   
And then, she screamed.  
"INUYASHA! HELP! INUYA-"   
  
With a loud crack, everything went black and her scream was cut short.   
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX   
  
Yikes! What'll happen? You ppl know I'll get the chapter out extremely soon, especially after 101 reviews! So this time, I won't tell you to **REVIEW!** (There's a secret message in there if you look real hard! :) ) 


	12. In Present Time II

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated sooner; school's starting along with homework, catfights, and a lot of anarchy! I don't have time for shout-outs but I appreciate every one of your reviews. Huggles to everybody; chow! 

XXXX

Inuyasha was running, racing, almost literally flying across the pavement. Kagome needed him, damnit, Kagome needed him! He could still hear Kagome calling him, angry, but fearful, her voice the exact note of terror Hamuri had had when telling him what was going on.

Miroku was racing next to him, somehow as fast as he was. Hamuri had told them both that Sango was unconscious, she knew that because she had seen it. In the rain, Inuyasha could make out Miroku's tightly drawn face, a face set in the same fieriness, worried, and regretful glare as was on Inuyasha's.   
  
Kouga was right behind them. He didn't have to worry much; Hamuri had said Yume wasn't there. But Kagome...she was injured too, he was sure of it. He might not have her love, but he wanted her friendship. But...where was Yume? She should have heard the screams, she couldn't have been that far that fast.  
A gun shot rang out. Shippo, clinging to Kouga's back, jumped in response to it.   
  
"What the hell is that?!" Inuyasha yelled, looking over his shoulder for an explanation.  
Hamuri, who was shaking, soaked, and crying, told him.   
  
"It's a gun. It shoots a small metal ball at high speeds into the flesh of living things," She paused as another gun shot sounded and someone roared in pain. "It can kill almost instantly and penetrates anything," she finished solemnly.   
  
A howl broke the night and Kouga put an extra burst of speed into his limbs. Easy, since he still carried the Shikon Shards. He had forgotten to give them to Kagome earlier on; it was going to be a present if she became his woman rightfully. But now she was with Inuyasha and Kouga himself had chosen Yume. Still, he only matched Inuyasha's and Miroku's speed, he didn't surpass it. Yume was howling...and by the tone of it she was in pain. Lots of it.   
  
"Right here! Stop, right here!" Hamuri suddenly shouted and Inuyasha skidded to a stop, pressing his ears down against his head.   
Noises met the boys' ears first. People within the alley were crying, moaning, or yelling gruffly. A muffled strike passed through the air, and that's when the smell of blood bypassed the smell of garbage.   
  
Kagome's blood. Yume's blood. Sango's blood.   
  
Rage boiled and threatened to overflow Inuyasha's veins. Kouga beside him was trembling in fury, immobile at the moment with it, barely under control. Only Miroku, without a keen sense of smell, was still only furious. If he could smell Sango's blood, if he could smell it....   
  
Inuyasha felt himself slipping. His hold on Hamuri fell and she slipped off his back, sobbing, but trying to remain silent. She drifted to one side of the building, hiding on the corner, but Inuyasha's attention was not on her anymore. He could see now, rain was pouring into his eyes, but he could see. And one of those men had their hands around Kagome's throat.   
"Get. Your. Hand. Off. Her." With each word, Inuyasha's voice grew more primal.   
His fangs grew in his mouth and jutted out slightly. His claws, already long and sharp, became longer, sharper, much more dangerous. His normally sunset colored eyes turned blood red. He was stronger now, faster, and so much more dangerous to everything and everyone around him. Even himself.   
  
Kouga felt the changes in Inuyasha, but wasn't surprised when his own changes occurred. Kouga himself had never really reverted to his true youkai form; like Inuyasha when he lost control. Inuyasha had done it once and killed someone close to him, and he never wanted to do it again. But ... his eyes had fallen upon his newly mated, his life-mate, and she was lying unconscious on the alley floor; a fallen angel dressed in her own blood.   
  
A flash of lightning. Miroku saw the scene before him clearly, could feel the demon's rage before him. But now his own rage was developing, though he knew he would not change like they were doing. He was human, not demon. His own Sango was still lying as she had fallen, except a man had his gun, still smoking, held above her. She was bleeding profusely...she had been shot. His rage doubled.   
  
Then the men noticed someone was watching them, getting ready to fight them. They drew their guns and looked hard into the darkness, at the mouth of the alley. The man holding Kagome dropped her and allowed her to land with a sicken thump on the stone of the alley. That was it, Inuyasha was thoroughly pissed.   
  
With a primal roar of rage, he leaped into the alleyway. Kagome's blood was driving him crazy, her sweet scent was enough to make him mad. The man that had been hold Kagome lifted his gun and fire three rounds at the figure about to land on him. The figure with white hair draped behind him like a cape. One round missed, the other two struck deep into Inuyasha's chest. Blood spurted from the wounds and he felt as if someone slammed a tree into his chest twice, but he continued his decent.  
His claws sliced through flesh, muscle, sinew, and bone.   
Blood was everywhere now. Kouga joined in, attacking the attackers. Yells were rising, bullets were flying, and tearing flesh was heard. During all this, Miroku managed to grab Sango and Eri, but Kagome and Yume lay untouched. He knew if he touched them...the two demons might kill him as well. Still, they weren't safe even if the demons were occupied having a slaughter feast.   
The scent of death and carnage drove Inuyasha and Kouga faster, destroying anything in their way. If they caught sight of each other, what might happen? Miroku didn't know. All he knew was that this had to stop, he had to revert them somehow. But how?   
  
Tetsusaiga was at Kagome's house, in her room. And Kouga? How to revert him? He had no Tetsusaiga to restrain his demonic blood for he was totally demon. How do you revert a full demon with a thirst for human blood? What would you revert him to?   
Shippo trembled in fear.   
  
Kagome was still in there, Miroku hadn't gotten her. Why? Because Inuyasha would have killed them both. And Yume was still there too. Where was Shizuko? She wasn't in sight, that was for sure, and that seemed the best thing to do. Not be in sight. Inuyasha and Kouga were in crazed form and not being in sight was always best.   
  
"Shippo! Go get the Tetsusaiga...hurry!" Miroku whispered, cradling Sango's head in his lap. Eri was beside him propped up on his discarded shirt. "Hurry, Shippo, before Inuyasha kills us all!"   
  
"But...what about Kouga?" Shippo asked, watching as the demons started to finish the carnage.   
"Don't worry about that now, I feel Inuyasha is more dangerous at the moment. Now go!" Miroku commanded.   
Shippo left. He himself had a natural form that he never seemed to revert to, a fox form. With a small "pop", he transformed into a golden orange colored fox, streaking along the sidewalk as fast as he could go. His steps were light and he was much faster this way. He'd be there and back within minutes.   
But...where minutes too long?  
  
Sango felt someone's hands on her face, keeping her still. Large hands, one of them with some sort of fabric on it. Something round and cold touched her cheek, her neck, and then her forehead. What was going on, what was happening? Where was she? Things slowly came back to her. She remembered the morning...Kagome's house...Hide and Seek....and then being attacked.   
She sat up so suddenly and stopped so abruptly that blackness filled her vision once more. She willed unconsciousness away with a huge effort and opened her eyes. She was cold...and wet, she knew that. Thunder was rolling and rain was falling. Cold rain. Exhausted, she fell back onto what she thought was a pillow. She couldn't be much help...but she had a feeling there was nothing more to help with.   
  
"Sango! Lady Sango, are you with me? Say something, Sango!" The voice was right above her, so familiar and sending shivers down her spine.   
Or was that the rain? She didn't know, she felt herself drifting again.... Boy did her head hurt. Her whole body hurt...and tingled at the same time. The rain was cold and she shivered again. Her eyes drifted shut, shutting them from the outside world and the rain that beat against her face, blinding her vision anyway. Drifting...she was so exhausted.   
"Sango!"   
That's Miroku... She thought dazedly, the blackness still pressing in. He sounds so urgent....I wonder what's wrong...   
"Sango, please, answer me!"   
Sorry, Miroku, I can't answer you...I'm so tired right now. Let me sleep some more... She slipped back into the darkness, embracing it with arms wide open.   
  
Miroku looked down at Sango's peaceful face, gazed down at her soft features. In the pale light and the brief flashes of lightning, he could see blood splattered on her perfect features. Her blood, he was positive. That gun, that weapon...she was wounded and badly. He didn't know anything about a gun shot wound, nor did he know of a place around here that could take care of it for him. And Sango had slipped back into unconsciousness   
  
.  
She was so peaceful, she could have been sleeping, dreaming peaceful dreams, but he knew better. She was slipping from the real world, he could feel it in her aura. She was slipping, slowly, but she was slipping. More blood poured from her side onto his jeans, but he didn't care. He hugged her close, tried one last time to call her from the depths of darkness, and cried.  
"Sango...please..answer me."  
Beside him, Eri lay as silent and still as Sango herself.   
  
XXXX  
  
The massacre was done, other matters needed attending to. Kagome's blood, she was bleeding a lot it seemed, the whole area was covered in her intoxicating scent. Inuyasha turned his head slightly to where she was lying on her back, arm bent slightly, face receiving the rain. She looked as if she had taken a nap, knees together and lying to the right. She could have been sleeping, if not for the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and the knife slashes on her body. It looked as if she had fought one on one with a sword master and all she had was a stick.   
  
Inuyasha took a step closer to her. She was as good as dead lying there, bleeding. Some of the wounds looked like they would heal, but he couldn't be sure. Even in the crazed state he was in now, he knew that. Covered in blood with his mind reeling, he took another step towards her fallen figure.   
  
He knelt down slowly. His clawed digit reached out and caressed her cheek. His other hand reached underneath her head and tilted her up. Her arms hung back and her mouth fell open slightly, the blood continuing its journey out of her mouth and down her chin. For a second, Inuyasha just stared at her. His bond wouldn't allow him to harm her at all, but he couldn't ignore the smell of her blood.   
  
It was just so...intoxicating.... something he could not ignore at all. Like the stench of the men that had done this to her.  
He let out a snarl and replaced her on the floor. He needed something else to kill, something else to maim. He had to get this anger out, deplete the blood lust. And for that, he needed more victims. Something, anything.   
His eyes traveled the length of the alley and fell upon Kouga. He'd do...   
  
XXXX  
  
Kouga had dropped out of his crazed form as fast as he had fallen into it. The smell of Yume, the sight of her stilled body; it had caused him to drop back to normal. And there was no other way to describe it, he had dropped back into his own mind like a diver jumping into a pool. Clunk. He was back.   
He neared Yume slowly. Her face was scrunched up in pain despite the fact that she was still unconscious. He could hear her moan, her small little yips and yelps, her high pitched cries. Each sound she made wrenched at his heart and tears flowed freely from his eyes. He wished he had more of those bastards to kill...he needed something to vent the last of his rage on.   
But the rage was empty now. What would be the point if Yume died? Killing wouldn't bring her back, maiming something wouldn't help at all. It wouldn't ease the pain of loosing her anymore than it would ease his rage.   
  
He fell to his knees beside Yume and placed his hands on her shoulders gently. Tears stained her cheeks, tears of pain and guilt, mixing with the rain and running them off her face. But that did not make the trails of her tears, those salty trails, disappear from his mind.   
  
Something sharp embedded in his back, deep. It didn't hurt at first, all he could feel was the pressure of the wound, and the sharp thing pulled free and the pain started. Compared to what he felt deep within himself, the pain of the wound was nothing. It was the fury that accompanied it, fury at being interrupted while he was with his Yume.   
  
Kouga whipped around and stood up as fast as lightning. What he saw amazed him. Unlike himself, Inuyasha didn't transform back. He was still full demon, his blood thirst was still racing, and he had come for either him or Yume...or both. Kouga growled low in his throat.   
  
"What are you doing, Inuyasha." It wasn't much of a question, more of a warning.   
They circled each other slowly, eyes locked, claws outstretched, clicking together. Inuyasha was grinning maniacally and the sticky red blood that covered half his face despite the purifying rain made him look even more evil. Kouga shuttered slightly and wondered momentarily if he had blood all over him. Of course he did, with a massacre comes the blood of the massacred.   
"Killing. What's it to you, wolf-shit?"   
"What's it to me? Well, I have a life-mate to protect, half-breed."   
"Feh, I'm not a half breed in this form."   
"You'll always be a half-breed no matter what form your in."   
It was wrong to provoke the beast and, unfortunately, Kouga knew it. Inuyasha leaped at him with claws stretched, moving faster than Kouga had predicted. Even though Kouga dodged the lethal blows, Inuyasha's claws still did damage to his right arm.  
"Inuyasha!" A voice yelled out from near the mouth of the alley.   
Inuyasha snapped his head towards the voice and Kouga did the same. Shippo stood there with Tetsusaiga held in his hands. He tossed the sword from one hand to the other, looking warily but defiantly at Inuyasha, almost daring him to come get it. And Inuyasha responded just the way Shippo wanted and planned for him to.   
"Give me that, bastard! It's mine!" Inuyasha roared.   
Shippo threw it through the air, aimed right towards the demonic half-breed. Inuyasha caught it in mid-air before the thought occurred to him. With Tetsusaiga, he couldn't remain demon. He let out a cry of anguish and made to drop the sword, but it had already done it's intended work. Inuyasha's teeth shrunk, his nails shrunk, and his eyes returned to their honey gold. He was Inuyasha again.   
And he was terrified for Kagome.  
  
XXXX   
  
Inuyasha ran over to Kagome and dropped down next to her. He picked her up slowly and carefully, making sure not to disturb her wounds anymore than he already had. For a moment, he thought for sure that Kagome wasn't breathing anymore. And why? Because he said all right and allowed her to head on into the city alone. He didn't know about the human's guns and their devastating power. He himself was bleeding profusely from two gun wounds...and they hurt like hell.   
  
But Kagome had not been shot, she had been knifed. Slashes were all over her body, tearing her clothing in certain places. She looked as if she had taken a tumble into a thorn bush, with the thorns taken out and replaced with short little army jack knives.   
  
Dead. If Kagome was dead... He didn't want to think about that.   
  
He had lost his first love, he wasn't going to lose Kagome. Never. Kagome was his, and his she would remain. And when they were ready, he would make sure she stayed his. He wouldn't let her go without a fight.   
  
Kagome stirred in his arms. She croaked out a cry and tossed her head to the side. She was unconscious, but she was also in pain. Inuyasha set aside his woe and his rage to feel how bad Kagome was. What he felt was worse than the two shots he had sustained. And Kagome was only human! Placing his hand on her back and willing it to be so, he took some of her pain from her using their bond. She quieted and Inuyasha grunted under the agony.   
Kagome was going to be fine, he was sure of it. Slowly, and very gently, he picked her up and held her close. Tetsusaiga was now wrapped around his waist. He would have to thank Shippo later, lavishly thank him. If it wasn't for him, he would have killed...he would have killed everyone except Kagome. He knew that.   
  
When he neared the mouth of the cave, he looked to the side of him. Kouga was walking there, right arm hanging uselessly, the other holding Yume with a ton of effort. He didn't want to hurt her, Inuyasha was sure of it, and it was so hard to be careful when you only had one arm.   
  
Wait a second, he only had the use of one arm? Why? He looked closely at the wound, blinking running water out of his eyes, and felt sick. Claw wounds, his claws. He had done it when he was crazed, he had harmed Kouga. Was Yume next, after he disposed of Kouga? He didn't know, and he didn't want to dwell on it.   
Sobbing reached his ears, sobbing in a familiar voice. It was stifled, as if the person didn't want to cry freely, but had no choice. The tears were coming anyway. As they neared the exit of the alley, he saw the source of the crying.   
  
Miroku was holding a deathly pale, deathly still Sango.  
Miroku tilted his head up and looked at Inuyasha. Water mixed with the tears falling from the priest's eyes, dripping down his cheeks in torrents. Inuyasha froze in horror.   
  
What if Sango was dead? Kagome...Kagome would take it especially hard. And the priest... Inuyasha didn't want to think about what the priest would do to himself if Sango died. He knew there had been something going on between them, something deliberately hidden from other's eyes. Why hidden? He had no idea.   
  
But Sango looked so pale...  
Eri lay next to Miroku, her head propped up on Miroku's discarded shirt. She stirred every once in a while, but never woke. Hamuri was crying silently near the edge of the building, gazing at Sango's still form, at Kagome's form, and at Yume's still form. Shizuko magically appeared and looked at them gravely.   
"The police are coming. If you don't want to answer any questions, I suggest you leave. We'll stay. We'll talk to them." She said solemnly, her eyes never leaving Inuyasha's. "But you have to hurry."   
  
Inuyasha listened for a moment and heard sirens. He nodded, thanking her, and then looked down at Miroku. Miroku was starting to stand, drying his eyes.   
"She needs help, Inuyasha. Bad."   
"I know. We'll get her to Kaede. Can you carry her?"   
"Yes."   
"Then lets go."   
Four figures ran off into the darkness, holding three other figures in their arms.  
And still the storm raged on.   
  
XXXX   
  
Kagome was in pain, there was no doubt about that. It was the worst pain she had ever felt in her entire life, more pain than most of the wounds she had gotten while with Inuyasha shard hunting. And this time, it was in her own world. How ironic.   
  
She could hardly open her eyes and when she did, she always saw a golden pair staring back at her. Whenever her eyes opened even part way, a bowl of tea or water was brought to her lips and those same golden eyes always stared back into hers. And his hands were so gentle when they cared for her.   
For around two days, Kagome had been lying flat on her back. Well, there goes that math test... She though, unconcerned. She could tell that she was in Kaede's hut, she could smell the familiar aromas. She could also hear her, even if her voice was fuzzy to Kagome's ears.   
  
On the second day, Kagome was sitting up and looking about. Inuyasha wasn't in sight, but other figures caught her eye. Miroku was leaning over a figure wrapped in a blanket and she thought she heard him sobbing.   
A bolt of fear ran the length of her spine. Miroku normally watches over Sango...and if she was hurt as badly as Kagome thought she was when she saw her in the alley... She shuttered at the thought, which in turn caused her body to ache. No, Sango would be okay.   
But then why would Kaede have wrapped her up, from head to foot? She tried to make a sound, but her throat was so dry and her mouth felt cottony. Not a sound could escape her. Instead, she rustled around and pushed off the blanket, gently forcing herself upon her feet.   
  
Kagome looked down at herself slowly, neck stiff and sore. All over her body were bandages, in some places small and in others larger and more pronounced. She looked close to a walking mummy, even some places on her face and neck were covered with the soft cloth. Slowly, she made her way over to Miroku, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. Her right hand was bandaged too.   
"Miroku..."   
At the sound of his name, he looked up. She saw the tear stains on his cheeks and assumed the worst. Looking past him and down at the covered body, she looked for any sign that it really was Sango, and sorrow built up in her chest.  
Something moved underneath the blanket.   
  
Kagome would have shrieked if her throat and mouth wasn't so dry. Instead, she watched as Miroku started to smile. This whole thing now seemed like a twisted nightmare, and she even expected to watch as the blanket was thrown back and a zombyish Sango appeared. Instead, Miroku stood up, hugged Kagome as tight as he dared, and looked back down at the moving figure.   
  
The top of Sango's head appeared above the blanket, only eyes and hair. But her eyes were enough to tell Kagome that her friend was all right; she seemed to be seething. Kagome looked back up at Miroku and would have laughed if she could have. A red hand mark had appeared amidst the happy tears. She assumed the monk must have taken advantage of Sango being unconscious. Unlucky him, it seemed to be the wrong day to try it.   
"Since Kaede was gone, he thought it'd be right to try to change my shoulder bandage!"   
"Hahh...I got the shirt half-way up before she slapped me..." Miroku looked dreamy eyed.   
  
"Yeah, right you pervert!" Sango looked enraged, made to throw something at him, but then squinted in pain.   
Miroku's expression now looked distressed as Sango wriggled in pain. He told her to lay still and, when his hands captured hers, she did as told. Kagome looked away from them with a small smile, trying to give them as much privacy as she could, and looked around the hut instead.  
Kagome suddenly felt someone else's anxiety. Inuyasha's probably, since she was linked to him. It mingled with her emotions and caused her to feel a bit jumpy, looking around, and exhausting her with the effort. She sat down and motioned to Shippo for something to drink.   
"You got it, Kagome!" Shippo said with a smile, rubbing his newly awakened eyes.  
When he returned with her drink, she drank it up greedily. Shippo watched her the entire time. She seems to be better, he thought happily. And when she's totally supremely better, I'll give her the biggest hug imaginable! He smiled happily, tail twitching.  
Mouth satiated, throat no longer dry, Kagome let out a satisfied 'ah!' before tilting her head at the young Kitsune.   
"Do you know what happened? Where are Eri, Hamuri, and Shizuko?"   
Kagome's worry doubled as her mouth spoke the sentence. What did happen to her friends? Hopefully they weren't injured? And, if they were, where were they now? They didn't appear to be within the confines of the hut and she was sure Inuyasha wouldn't bring them to the Sengoku Jidai.   
  
Oh yeah, and what happened to Yume? Kagome could remember waking back up after being knocked unconscious and seeing Yume take the first bullet for her. She also remembered Yume being fired at another two times before they both fell unconscious.   
  
Someone stumbled through the door and glanced around quickly. Before Kagome could turn her head to see the newcomer, she was picked up and held in a tight embrace. Suprised, she let out a small yelp until the familiar smell and fell of Inuyasha came to her. Now that she was even nearer to him she could feel his new emotion. Supreme happiness. It seemed to be radiating out of him and into her. She could even smell the scent of the forest on his haori.   
  
He moved his arms just slightly and rubbed Kagome the wrong way. She let out a small cry of pain and the arms instantly relaxed. Inuyasha's golden eyes, full of concern, gazed deeply into hers. She bit back the next cry of pain and forced a smile.   
"You took the clothing off."   
It was the only thing she could say. She noticed it the moment he had held her; the clothing he had worn during the rather short time in her world was gone. He was back to wearing his normal red haori.  
Inuyasha nodded slightly. "I took it off when we got back." He pulled at the haori. "Suits me better."  
Kagome put on a genuine smile and gave him a small hug. "It does. I like the haori better on you than the other stuff."  
"Really?"  
"Yes. Reminds me of everything we went through." Kagome pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "I have to go back and talk to my mother. She's probably wondering why I didn't come home."  
His whole demenor changed quite suddenly. He started growling and his gaze became more intent. He straightened his back, seemed to look down his nose at her. She grew surprised and confused at his behavior and even took a slight step back from him.  
"I don't want you to go back to that place." He said gruffly. "Ever. Kagome," His features grew softer and he reached out to caress her cheek with his fingers. "I don't want you hurt like you were before. You had me scared."  
"I-Inuyasha..."  
Kagome was shocked. Blindly shocked. Inuyasha saying he was scared? And his gaze was so sincere, so loving, that she just couldn't think of anything else to say.  
Inuyasha was stunned at himself for saying it. Seemed as if his thoughts nowadays just tumbled out of his mouth before he could check them and edit it. Still, since it was the truth, he couldn't help but continue. He didn't want Kagome to leave his side again, not now, not ever. She would never feel pain like she had before ever again. He would make sure of it.  
He held both his hands to her cheeks, forcing her gaze to stay on his. "Stay here. Don't head back to that freakin' death trap." He growled, but not at her. "I can't bear to think what else must have happened to you in that time before what had happened three days ago."  
Kagome placed her hand on his and closed her eyes for a moment. "Inuyasha, you know I have my family there-"  
"We'll bring them here, they can stay in this time."  
"-and all my friends-"  
"Them too!"  
"-school-"  
"Screw school, you won't need it if you stay here."  
Kagome finally opened her eyes and gazed at him. "Are you serious?"  
Inuyasha jerked slightly. "Serious about what?"  
"Do you really want Eri, Hamuri, Shizuko, my mom, Sota, and my grandfather here?"  
"If that's what you want, sure! I'll carry them if I have to! Just please..stay."  
"Are you going to, Kagome?" Shippo leaped on her shoulder and widened his eyes into one of his cutest expressions.  
Kagome blinked at him. She had momentarily forgotten that he had been there. She had forgotten everyone else existed. Without warning, the curtain opened again and two people entered.  
"We couldn't help it, we heard your conversation. Kagome? Are you really pondering staying in this time?" Yume was standing upright, but she was cradling her left arm which was still bandaged heavily.  
"You can't just leave Inuyasha here." Kouga grumbled before taking a seat and pulling Yume down to sit as well.  
"Well, seeing as everyone else put in their two sence first, I might as well have a say." Miroku put his finger in the air. "One, if you stay in your time when this is all over, we'll be devistated. Two," Another finger. "We'll help pay to build a house, or build a house ourselves, for both family and friends."  
Kagome blinked again. Where did everyone come from? Overwhelmed with gratitude at her friend's 'two sense', as Miroku kindly put it, tears fell from her cheeks. She turned her head and brought her teary gaze up to lock with Inuyasha's.  
Only one second of hesitation lasted before she finally spoke.   
"I'll stay, but we're going to have to wait to get the others after Naraku is defeated."   
  
XXXX Okay, you guys know what to do! R & R!!! 


	13. Fight!

A/N: YES! I am alive, due to contrary belief. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but let me just say STTUPID SCHOOL, STUPID HOMEWORK, STUPID PEOPLE! BURN, I SAY!

Ah. Now that that's out of my system...Anyone up for shout-outs? : ) (For Chapter elven too, sorry I missed you guys)

**DestinyManifested: **You mean just Kag's friends? Well I imagine the hospital's pretty far from where they are or whatever...Sorry that idea just didn't come to mind. Thx for the review!

**Goodcommen**t: Aw no worries they're all gonna be fine! I don't really know what's gonna happen eithe, lol, but yay, I rock, huh? Whoot.

**Muffinduster**: Sorry about calling him 'Gina' I was kinda out of it for a while. Oh well, T is an over-rated letter anyways..lol. BTW, thanks for reviewing, like, 3 times!

**Sabster**: lol, yep, that's totally from Inuyasha!

**Purplefr0g**: Yep, and u sure know how to do it! Thank-you! Hope this chapter is okay! Froggy's one of my favourite reveiwers!

**Hpfreak2**: I hope to see more of Inu's emotional side too!

**SkyWolf**: lol, I didn't mean for Inuyasha to REALLY mean that, sorry if I confused you about that. Imagine those three in Sengoku Jidai!

**Hpangel589**: Yeah they definitely come up a lot, and their match-maker mode when they're with Kagome really is annoying! (Gives Hpangel Miroku plushie) Enjoy!

Also thanks to: **Naito-Kage, fantasytraveler, and seida02**. Huggles to everybody and enjoy the chapter! I'll try to update ASAP!

XXXX

Inuyasha couldn't wait any longer. He didn't care (at the moment anyway) that Naraku was out there. He had his mate on his back, whole and healthy, and she was staying in his time. Forever. If he didn't have something to show her, he would be jumping around and dancing.

But, since a little over three days have gone by, he needed to show her what he was concocting. He had paid good money for it, and had disappeared a couple of times to help with it's constructing, and now it was time to show her.Besides, he couldn't wait any longer even if it isn't finished.Dodging trees, limbs, animals, and lesser demons, he sped towards his destination. Kagome had dozed off on his back, hands wrapped around his neck and face hidden in his hair, a while ago. He let himself grin slightly, but felt his heart jolt a bit in fear every time he moved the wrong way and she threatened to fall.Without delay, the path opened up before him. The wide meadow and down hill decent was the same. The village below hadn't changed, except not enough to be caught easily. Upon further examination, a lot of the demons were gone. Inuyasha's delight dropped a bit as curiosity took over. He edged down towards the village now, then, upon sensing no danger and that Kagome was still asleep, he started to move faster.Kagome woke a few seconds later to a strange tingling sensation flowing through her. She smiled groggily at it, knowing it wasn't her emotion but she was feeling it anyway and why not lavish in it? She made to close her eyes again when she realized where they were. The demon/human village?Inuyasha felt her curiosity and her slow movements. She's awake. He thought with a bigger grin. Good. That takes care of figuring out how to wake her nicely. He continued walking down the dirt roads, eyes set before him, until someone ran right into his chest.  
He let Kagome slide off his back while he looked down at the boy.The kid, maybe only twelve, looked back up at him.  
"What are you running from, kid?" Inuyasha asked.  
Rahari's gaze, the boy, turned fearful and he glanced back over his shoulder. "Demons! Not the ones who live here, but others, fighting! Thousands of them in the woods! They're heading here, they're gonna kill us, so momma told us to run!"Inuyasha helped the kid up and looked ahead of him. He sniffed the air tentatively. "Blood."Rahari nodded. "All the demons from this town went to fight, even some humans went. But they can't hold them off.""Well then, might as well go see what they're up to." Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and looked back over his shoulder at Kagome. "Stay here. It shouldn't be too hard as long as the other demons are still alive."Kagome looked like she was going to argue, since she was wearing her arrows, but Inuyasha shook his head before she could even open her mouth. Of course she was going to argue. Still, Inuyasha did not want her hurt again and the farther from danger she was, the sturdier Inuyasha felt.  
He reached for the Tetsusaiga's hilt.Kagome reached for her bow.  
Inuyasha sent her a warning look and growled low. "Stay."Then he left.  
Kagome scoffed. "I'm not a dog, you know!"Inuyasha grinned to himself, but had to put it off, push the laughter away before she felt it. If she did, she might think it was okay to go. Act serious, be serious. Inuyasha growled to himself as he flew through the woods toward the scent of blood. Come on, it shouldn't be that hard.Kagome kicked the dirt slightly, looking down. But it was half-heartedly. She didn't want to get in the middle of a demon fight, for she wasn't demon. And yet, something was nagging her about that. Being mated to a demon, the new keener sense of smell....but that was it. Nothing to get all hyper about. Maybe she was just becoming more aware of her nose after being stuck in a cave in the dark for a few hours. But her hearing too.... Strange."It's nothing. I'm sure it's nothing." But Kagome couldn't completely eliminate the doubt.Rahari was looking at her strangely. "Are you okay?"Kagome shot him a look, but then softened it. "Yeah, fine. I talk to myself a lot now a days."He nodded, but took two more steps away from her. "Right."She sighed and shook her head before making a move to sit down. Suddenly, too suddenly, she felt it."Jewel Shard! A big piece too!" Kagome jumped straight again and reached out with the sense. Her sharp intake of breath made her gag. "Naraku!""Naraku?" Rahari looked at her confused. "Jewel Shard?""Stay here! Stay!"At some level, Kagome was surprised that she had used the same wording Inuyasha had, even though she was pissed that he had told her to stay. But, on the rest of her levels, she didn't care. As long as the kid stood behind or ran the opposite way, she didn't care. The jewel shard, a very big chunk of it, was about fifty yards away to her right.She had a feeling that Inuyasha had sensed him as well, for she could fell his sudden flare of rage. It made her anger rise as well. She was seething by the time she reached the spot she knew he had to be in.She stopped.  
It was a meadow. A pretty meadow and a big, wide one. Flowers of all different colors swayed to a gentle handed wind. Long green and yellow grass swayed to the secret beat as well. The sun, bright and yellow, shone down more brightly here it seemed than at the village. Little animals were scurrying around her feet, snakes and mice alike, and none were bothering her.She felt her body tighten up in fear as the memory of perhaps a week ago's incident came back to her in fresh detail. Seeing the snake...and the mice... She shuttered, but suppressed the urge to shriek. She couldn't go all psycho over a few mice and snakes that weren't even demons.Something moved to her right. Before she herself knew it, she had an arrow knotched in her bow and the string pulled taunt. She was surprised at her own speed, but thanked her reflexes. They were getting better.But she had no reason to let the taunt string go and the arrow to fly. Out of the brush Kirara sprang with Miroku on her back. Sango must have stayed back in Kaede's hut for she wasn't with him. Her injuries were probably keeping her behind. Kagome had a feeling that Sango was not happy.Behind her something rustled the bushes. She turned around and was just about to let the arrow fly when she spotted Kouga and Yume. Her fingers got a better grip on the string and she turned back to the front."So....I wasn't the only one who felt it." Miroku said quietly as he slid of Kirara's broad back.Yume snorted and then collapsed into a coughing fit. "We were in the battle with the demons when we spotted Inuyasha." She stopped again when the coughing became worse.Kouga forced her to sit down and took her hand away from her chest to gaze at a deep chest wound. "He told us to help. He'd be here as soon as he finished with a stupid demon that got on his nerves."Kagome let the bow relax and slipped the arrow back into it's carrying case. "Yume, how did that happen?"Yume laughed carefully. "Stupid me got distracted while going hand to hand with a betrayer of the village. Another Wolf."The rage drained itself from her and concern took it's place. "Maybe you shouldn't-""Don't tell me I shouldn't be here, Kagome. We're here because Inuyasha had told us to come and we're staying."Kagome knew better than argue with Yume. She hadn't really known the Wolf demon for long, but it seemed as if she knew Yume better than any of her friends in her own time. Besides, if Inuyasha had told them to help, he must have known Yume would be able to or he would have told her to stay behind."Alright.""Thank you Kagome."Rustling made everyone tense and snap their heads towards the noise. Nothing. No more movement, nothing. With string taunt, staff in hand, claws ready, the four advanced towards the noise, but slowly. They didn't want to be ambushed or surprised.  
Anxiousness passed through the four as they awaited yet another movement. Their patience was paid off. The bushes rustle yet again.Yume suddenly let out a snarl and took a few steps forward. "It's you, you dead bitch!"Kagome, caught up in the sense of the jewel shard, hadn't known exactly what Yume was talking about until the figure stepped out of the bushes. At that small movement, Kagome had her bow string as taunt as it would go and had her aim at the woman's head. Kikyou yet again.And this time with a bigger piece of the jewel shard than Kagome thought Naraku would ever lend anyone.But she wasn't alone. Beside her stood a white clad girl with a face as emotionless as a stone and a white mirror held at about the height of her stomach. She was watching Kagome with those dead looking eyes. From behind Kikyou came a woman, much older than the child like girl on Kikyou's right. Kagura, sorceress of the wind, smiled at all of them with her fan held up to hide the smirk.  
"Kagura!"Kagura's smirk grew wider and it reached her eyes, causing them to squint slightly. "And it's the wolf-boy. Kouga was it?" Kouga growled and she chuckled lightly. "I thought so. I'm guessing you still hold a grudge from our last visit.""Damn right!"Kouga took two steps forward, seething, when Yume's hand shot out of nowhere and gently but firmly grabbed his arm. He stopped his fevered walking, but his growls reverberated in his throat. Kagura was going to pay dearly for what she had done to his Tribe before! Pay with her life!Kagura turned her eyes to the woman who held Kouga's arm, Yume. She raised an eyebrow and her smile somewhat disappeared from her lips hidden behind that fan.  
"Your the runt thrown out of her own Clan, right?"Yume blinked. "People like to talk, don't they?" She muttered under her breath, then gave Kagura a hard, deathly stare. "Yes, I'm called Yume."Kagura waved her hand in front of her fan as if the words had become solid and she was just batting them away.

"Your name isn't really Yume. I remember my master telling me about you. Nothing but a no good runt of a she-wolf who couldn't even keep a man."

Yume hissed, growled, and charged forward. "Alright, changed my mind Kouga. She's dead!"This time it was Kouga who had to hold her back. Miroku stood in front of the seething she-wolf and tapped her gently on the head, as if she were Inuyasha."Look at that little girl in white. Who do you think she is? Don't you think you should wait to make sure it's not a trap, Yume?" Miroku asked.Yume stopped struggling to get at Kagura and stood still for a moment, almost literally chewing on the words. That little girl was strange, just standing there and holding her little mirror, all dressed in white. She was kind of pretty, in a strange, statue type way. The kind of dangerous pretty you don't want moving around.So Miroku was right, they should probably find out what the little girl has up her sleeve. Besides a harmless mirror.Kouga's firm hold on her diminished until his hand was just barely rubbing the smooth skin that was her arm. He wanted to keep his hand close to her, just in case she decided to charge. There was also something else about that small contact. It just felt right, calmed him somehow. He hoped it was the same with her.Miroku looked between the enemies and his friends. They seemed extremely uptight, and he was as well, and there was good reason for it. Neither of them moved, only growled or sent death looks. This wasn't normal, they definitely had something up their sleeves. Suddenly, he wished Sango was here.Kikyou, after staring down Kagome for a good ten minutes, finally moved and spoke.

"Kagura, Kanna, it's time. We've waited long enough for Inuyasha..." She turned dead eyes to Kagome once again. "...I'll get to him after I get through his friends."

Kagome's fingers loosened slightly on the bow string in her hands. If Kikyou even moved a finger, Kagome would have two arrows in her before that finger moved a centimeter. She was going to be as much resistance as a mean of stalling.

When Inuyasha arrived...  
Miroku suddenly appeared at Kagome's side and tugged her a little closer to him. She didn't resist, but also didn't take her eyes from that dead priestess.

"Yume's going to take on Kikyou and stall her for a while. The moment Kikyou moves, Yume will be all over her. She wants you to be on guard of that little girl and Kagura."

His voice was as grave and serious as Kagome thought it could get, but, to her surprise, it became even more grave. "Kouga's helping, and so is Kirara."  
When Miroku ended, Kagome got the sense that he was keeping something back from her. She suddenly realized that Miroku forgot to tell her what he was supposed to do and her eyes slid slightly to give him a questioning look.

He sighed. "I'm supposed to bring you to Inuyasha. Kouga has already told Yume what Kagura is capable of and since they were sent to help you..." He let the sentence hang."So that's why she wants to take on Kikyou?""Yes."Kagome nodded. If Yume was sure she wasn't supposed to be there, then she was leaving. She didn't wish to leave her friends, but she also didn't have much of a say. Besides, she was going to get Inuyasha and would be back soon. She could even feel his rage coursing through her own being. Probably angry at the demons.Yume, Kouga, and Kirara watched as Miroku and Kagome slipped away. Though not unnoticed, it seemed as if the two women and the one little girl didn't care. Yume's eyes stayed locked on Kikyou, awaiting any movement. Kouga watched the wind sorceress, or more correctly watching her fan. Kirara kept her keen eyes locked on that little girl and her mirror."Well, let's get this party started."Kagura started to move her fan away from her face. That smallest movement sent the three demons jumping in different directions to escape anything that was coming and to put a little more room between themselves.

Yume landed away from Kikyou, something she hadn't aimed to do, while Kouga landed in front of the dead woman. Kirara landed a little farther away, but in the direct line of, Kagura. Yume stared at the little girl and her strange mirror.

"Now, Kanna. Take that runt of a she-wolf."Surprised at yet another voice coming from nowhere yet sounding as if it came from all around, Yume growled and tried to pin point it with flicking ears. Nothing. And yet, she could feel the evil aura, that choking aura...Kanna moved. Not much, but it was enough to grab a hold of Yume's attention. Every muscle tensed for an attack, but the only thing the girl did was turn her mirror. The reflection was that of Yume. It seemed like the last thing Yume saw.The mirror started to glow and Yume felt suddenly violated in one of the worst ways. A fiercely cold hand had reached down into the part of herself that no hand should touch and was savagely ripping something precious away from her. She could feel it, even as all she saw was dark and became suddenly deaf. The mirror drew her soul within it and all that was left was Yume, only a shell now without it.Kouga felt it happening as if it was happening to him himself, only a little farther away. He roared and his attention fell away from Kikyou to Yume. His eyes widened at what he saw. Yume was just standing before that little girl and her soul was being drawn into that damned mirror. Growling in rage and sudden despair, he bent his legs to reach his love."You may want to bring your attention back to me, Wolf." The dead, monotonous voice froze Kouga in his tracks.His attention, though split, turned back to Kikyou and he just barely managed to avoid an arrow in the face. He threw himself to the ground and welcomed the physical pain; it was better than the pain he felt within. When another arrow was aimed at him even before the other whizzed past his head, he rolled and jumped back up. The arrow tore into the ground where he had been lying.Growling, he disappeared in a whirlwind and reappeared with a high kick ready for Kikyou's face.A flash of white and Kouga hit the ground, hard. He heard growling above him, felt clawed hands wrapped tightly around his neck, smelt the sweet almost intoxicating scent of someone extremely familiar to him. He couldn't place it at first, his head rung and all he could see was black, then the realization hit him harder than the flash did.Squinting both eyes, Kouga forced the darkness back. The darkness receaded quicker than he thought and then he suddenly wished he was blind again. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. Yume sat upon him, hands in a death grip around his thick throat, eyes soulless and merciless. The eyes he loved to look at, those beautiful eyes with all their emotions playing just underneath the surface, had been replaced by cold stone.Panting, he tried to draw breath to speak. "Y-Yume...what...what's going...on?" He half growled, half asked.His hands reached up to try and pry her hands off of his neck, but the moment his fingers touched her hands they clenched even tighter. He felt his eyes bulging in their sockets and couldn't draw even the smallest of breaths now. Frantically he tugged at those soft hands until they finally gave enough for him to toss her away.When she stumbled to her feet in jerky, ungraceful movements, Kouga scrambled up as well. This was not his Yume and yet she owned her face, her hands, her power. Over her shoulder, Kouga could see that little girl. Rage suddenly flooded through him in realization. She had taken Yume's soul, she controlled it. Defeating her would free the one he loved.A snarl escaped his lips and he charged for Kanna. Again, a body slammed into his and he was tossed relentlessly to the ground. This time, Yume punched him flat in his face. He felt a tooth fall onto his tongue and spat it out bitterly. A mouth full of blood followed."Damnit, Yume! It's me, Kouga, remember?!" He shouted at her, catching her wrist when she moved to hit him again.Those words sparked a small amount of fire in her eyes, but it died as fast as it had come. Still, Kouga had caught it. So Kanna hadn't taken all of her, just most. The real Yume was still hiding within those stone eyes.Her other hand spiraled down from the sky and made to hit him, but he caught that one as well. When she realized her hands were captured, she started tugging. Kouga slowly stood up while keeping a strong hold on her wrists. It was the only thing he could do that would stop her from hitting him and keep himself from harming her.But he forgot one vital thing he should have easily remembered. When her hands hadn't come free, she lifted her leg and belted it into his stomach. He released her hands instantly and fell to the ground, eyes wide in pain, spickle falling from his mouth. She then proceeded to drop kick him.Kouga hit the ground prostrate and didn't move.Kikyou was long gone and Kirara knew it. She hadn't had time to stop her while still evading Kagura's slices of wind. Already she was panting with the exertion of energy.  
Wind sliced into her shoulder and she roared in pain. She landed gracefully on all fours, stood there defiantly for a moment while staring Kagura down, then collapsed. The wound was bone deep and bled a river of crimson. There was no pain, which had to mean there was some serious damage.Kagura advanced and Kirara tried to stand upon her three remaining legs. When she finally succeeded, Kagura stood near her. The woman with her deadly fan tisked the demon cat."And I thought you'd put up a better fight. I guess your nothing without your master."  
Kagura lifted the fan and Kirara made to move, but collapsed again. Instead, she watched as the fan sliced through the air, almost finished on it's downward arch. Kirara closed her eyes as she awaited the inevitable...."Keep away from Kirara!"Kirara's ears perked up and a cry escaped her lips. She heard the noise slice the air and then heard Kagura's yelp of pain. Opening her eyes wide, Kirara watched the Hiraikotsu fly back to it's bearer and then watched the bearer herself step defiantly from the bushes.  
Sango, still in pain though no longer as weak as she thought she would be, took another step towards the wind sorceress.

She held onto the boomerang tightly and hoisted it a little higher over her shoulder.  
Kagura held her abused hand in her other. Her fan lay on the ground near her feet, not forgotten, but pushed out of her mind for the moment. This girl, so much younger than Kagura, had dared strike her? She hissed in rage and reached down to pick the fan up in her good hand. Her bad one lay across her stomach.  
"You'll regret that, wench." She hissed as she brought the fan around once again.  
Sango smirked. "We'll see about that."

Yume stood above Kouga with soulless eyes. She traced his prostrate figure before looking back over at Kanna. She had yet to tell her what needed to be done. Kanna didn't speak, but suddenly Yume knew. She would make sure this somehow familiar Wolf never took another step in his life.She brought her naked claws near her ear and allowed them to hover there for a moment. Within seconds, her hand became enveloped in a silver blue aura that flowed up towards her arm. When she was sure she would have enough power to deliver a final blow, her hand shot down like a coiled snake in waiting.The prostrate figure, though, had other ideas. In one faster than lightning movement, Kouga was on his feet, though his chin still rested on his knees. In another faster than lightning movement, he pushed off the ground and inserted his shoulder into Yume's stomach. The downward arch of her hand was stopped instantly and both hand and arm fell still.Yume still stood on her feet though and Kouga gritted his teeth. He bent his knees once more. The force of his next thrust would knock her out or knock her down for the time he needed, but that didn't mean he wanted to. He was hurting his Yume, something he had always been against fiercely, but he couldn't let her kill him. He also didn't want her to harm herself.He shot up from the ground again and imbedded his shoulder into her tough stomach. Her eyes widened, her mouth dropped open, and she suddenly became limp. Kouga caught her falling form before gently setting her down on the ground."I'm sorry, Yume-love. Please forgive me."He cradled her head momentarily, then gently set her down. He had a little girl to deal with and a mirror to break. Roaring in sudden rage, he disappeared in his whirlwind and reappeared where Kanna had been standing. Confused, Kouga looked around. He sniffed the area a few times before realizing that the girl had no scent. She seemed like more a ghost than a real person. He roared in rage again.Kanna was gone, but that other woman was still here. With a growl, Kouga ran for her.  
  
Sango watched as Kagura's wind slices flew at her. She dodged them all effectively, but the movements had torn open a few minor wounds. She winced and decided next time she'd try using the Hiraikotsu as a shield instead.When she landed after another attempt, she hardly had time to see Kouga racing up behind Kagura. That weird little girl had vanished. Kagura turned her head suddenly just as Kouga leaped up and was coming down with fist raised. A blue aura wrapped around his arm.Kagura gritted her teeth and dodged the attack. Hissing through clenched teeth, she brought the fan up and then down quickly. More wind slices tore up the ground, the very air. Kouga grabbed a hold of Sango and leaped out of the way. Kagura sent more the moment his feet touched the ground."Why don't you just stand still, Kouga? I've heard these slices of wind make death quick and almost painless."Kouga snarled a reply before once again dodging more slices.

XXXX

Okay, there you go! Read and review so I get a nice surprise when I write the next chappy!! :)


	14. Finale

A/N: 'Loha peeps! I am SO FRIGGIN SORRY for not updating for so long, but blame it on the school board! I have an insane amount of math/geography/science homework (I'm always sooo paranoid about those subjects!, and the dumba$$ teacher is MEAN! Sorry no shout-outs but I promise if you guys leave me some reviews I will! :) Huggles to everyone; you know you love me! Nina

Inuyasha had it. These demons were pissing him off. Roaring for anyone who remained in the village to get behind him, he once again transformed Tetsusaiga. With one sweep, all of these pathetic demons could be gone.

Besides, he had to get to Kagome. He knew something was wrong, he could feel her agitation. It was starting to make him jumpier and he couldn't wait to be by her side.People huddled behind him, a scraggly group of bloody demons and equally bloody humans. They assured him no one else was within the still large number of opposing demons. Smirking, he lifted the Tetsusaiga and sought for the Wound of the Wind.He caught it and his smirk widened even more.  
"KAZE NO KITSU!" he roared.He swung the Tetsusaiga horizontally across the Wound and satisfaction filled him when the demons before him shriveled up into nothing. A hundred demons gone in one swipe, along with about a mile of vegetation. Huffing, he shouldered the Tetsusaiga and looked back at the group behind him. A cocky grin was plastered to his face.That is, until he heard someone scream.The group watched as the demon-boy's face drained of all color. His face was whiter than any sheet and his eyes were wider than any saucer. That scream had struck a cord, or so they thought. What they didn't know was what Inuyasha was feeling.Pain, and a lot of it. Pain and fear as well as rage. Kagome's rage. Without waiting a beat, he spun on his heel and flew through the forest."Kagome! KAGOME!" he yelled as he ran. "KAGOME!"Another scream made his mad dash into a flat out run. His feet hardly touched the ground before they pushed off once again and whatever stood in his path was either desecrated or ran over. He plowed through trees with the help of Tetsusaiga while the entire way listening with keen ears for any more of her screams. He also felt along their bond for any more pain she might be feeling, any more emotions that could help him figure out what was happening.Naraku.Inuyasha could feel that aura, the nauseating aura of Naraku. And not only him, one other as well. He knew that aura too; Kikyou.

His sword throbbed with the effort of keeping his demon blood under control as rage spread throughout each and every vein in his body. His eyes throbbed red, but the sword stopped it from going any farther. Kagome was there, with those other two.

He slammed his feet down into the ground to stop himself as the clearing in which they all stood came into view. Even with his feet embedded in the dirt, it took a few more meters for him to make a complete stop and by then he was standing in the middle of all that was happening.Kagome was at his right, kneeling down at the rocky ground with an arm wrapped around her stomach. Something feathery caught Inuyasha's attention and he sniffed the air tentatively. Blood and all of it Kagome's. He snarled. That feathery thing was an arrow and it was embedded in Kagome's side.  
Kagome heard him and looked up with tear filled eyes. "I-Inuyasha..."He didn't answer her at first, but instead moved to stand before her. He was her shield, her protector from everything and everyone. Even if that meant sending Kikyou back to where she belonged. He gritted his teeth and his hands tightened on the Tetsusaiga; his and everyone else's life line.Finally, he looked slightly over his shoulder at his love. It wrenched his heart in both guilt of not being there to stop the arrow and in total and complete rage. How dare someone harm the one he loves? How dare they spill her precious blood? How dare they?! Tetsusaiga was now having more trouble trying to keep the demon/man under control."Kagome...can you stand?" he asked gently, though the edge in his voice made Kagome wince."Y-yes...I think so." She clutched the arrow shaft and stood up gently. "Yes, I can, Inuyasha."Inuyasha sniffed the air again. Miroku had been here, where was he now? "Where's Miroku?"Kagome nodded her head to the bushes. "Unconscious. Kikyou had caught us off guard."More fuel to the fire. Inuyasha shook his head to try and clear it from angry thoughts and turned to Kikyou's figure. She was standing near Naraku and on the other side of Naraku was a little girl dressed all in white.

Confused, Inuyasha sniffed the air. No aura, no scent. He hadn't even known she was there.  
Naraku seemed to see what Inuyasha was staring at and put a hand on Kanna's head.

"Ah, I see you've noticed my other offspring." Kanna took a step forward and Inuyasha held the Tetsusaiga up just a little higher. "Her name is Kanna. You already know about dear Kikyou and my precious Kagura should be here soon."

Inuyasha hissed through clenched and grinding teeth. "Yeah, I do, you bastard.""Good. Then lets start." He put another hand on that small girl's head and she walked off into the woods. "Kikyou, would you be so kind as to either take Inuyasha with you or destroy him?"Kikyou gazed at Inuyasha stonily, then tipped her head up a bit to glance over his shoulder at Kagome. Inuyasha noticed where her gaze was heading and tilted the Tetsusaiga over to block her view. Kikyou sighed."Yes, Naraku. I think I'll do just that."

XXXX  
  
Sango slammed her boomerang into the ground and pressed herself up against it. Wind slices hit the Hiraikotsu and slammed both her and itself back a few feet. More followed, so many more. Growing weary and covered in her own blood, Sango braced her shoulder against the weapon to keep it steady. Any more of this and her Hiraikotsu would fail on her. Or vise versa.

Kouga looked over at Sango and saw her huddling behind her giant boomerang. He dove for her just as a new batch of wind came from that damned Kagura. Luck was on his side, though, and he made it to Sango and had pushed off when the first slice bit shallowly into his calf.Kirara had detransformed a while ago and was now lying by Yume's side, out of the range of fire. Kouga made sure they were out of the range by keeping Kagura distracted and by continually moving away. That still didn't mean he could keep it up for long."Both of you are such a bother. If you only stood still..." More wind sliced through the air even before the words left her lips.Kouga turned his head to talk with Sango, bounding across the now larger dirt clearing. "Can you manage another hit while using your Hiraikotsu?"Sango looked at him oddly, then nodded. "Yes. I can't keep it up for long, but I can manage it one more time.""Good, that's all I ask of you." He set her down quickly and she shoved the boomerrang into the ground. When he was sure Sango was nicely protected by her weapon, he took a deep breath, turned his back on her, and waved his hand. "Well, nice knowing you, Sango."Sango looked up at him in disbelief. He ran off a few seconds later, leaving her to fend for herself. Stunned into stupidity, she barely kept a hold on the Hiraikotsu when Kagura sent another wave of wind.  
Kagura chuckled. "Seems as if your cowardice friend has left you behind, does it not? Stupid coward of a wolf-man."Sango winced as another wind hit the boomerang, then let out a cry when she heard it snap distinctively above her. She glanced up and saw a crack where the last wind slice had hit. Damnit! I can't keep this up for long! What the hell did Kouga think he was doing? She glanced over and saw that Yume and Kirara were still lying on the ground. What the? Kouga would have brought Yume if he really was running away."I've had it with you, BITCH!"Before Kagura could notice Kouga was once again behind her, he struck her back with naked claws. Four gouges ran from the top of her neck to the base of her spine, piercing and tearing the spider design to shreds. She let out a pain filled, angry cry and turned the fan on him. Four razor sharp wind slices flew through the air.Kouga smirked and went to dodge them when he realized his most vital mistake. He was standing before Yume and Kirara, still on the ground and definitely unconscious. If he jumped, the wind would hit them both. But if he didn't move, he'd be hit.Kouga crossed his arms in front of him and awaited the bite of the wind.

XXXX  
  
Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and dodged another arrow. It struck the ground and exploded. Spelled arrows! Inuyasha yelled to himself, cradling Kagome with one arm while the other held the sword. She's going to attack with spelled arrows!

Growling, Inuyasha leaped away from yet another arrow. Kagome let out a sob of pain from the movements and he looked down at her in sorrow, but there was nothing else he could do. If he didn't dodge them, he'd be spelled into a sleep once again. If he didn't dodge them and they weren't aimed for him, Kagome would be hit once again. Already her pain was as much as she could bear.  
"Kagome, I'm going to set you down." Inuyasha spoke gently.Kikyou looked at the last four arrows in her quiver. She tugged one out dramatically slowly and knotched it just as such. Inuyasha glared at her in defiance, but that was all he did. Placing Kagome down behind a mass of giant roots, Inuyasha turned all of his attention to Kikyou. The roots would keep Kagome protected from at least one arrow and he'd get her away if another should follow."Come on, Kikyou! We should have ended this months ago. You belong in one place and I belong in another. If anything, I'll put you to rest in that place." Trying to bend back the wave of guilt invading his heart, he leaped at Kikyou and slashed the sword horizontally.It missed. Somehow, he had misjudged how far away Kikyou had been. More guilt ran through him, but he insisted on locking it up, pushing it back.Kikyou looked at him with cold eyes. "You can't even strike me, let alone send me back." She hissed softly, almost gently. "Your guilt won't have it. I wonder if you'll still feel that way when my next arrow pierces my reincarnate in the heart? That very same heart she shares with you?" As if to prove what she had asked, she aimed her arrow not at the demon boy before her but at the tree roots.Every muscle in Inuyasha's body clenched in fear for Kagome and his hold on Tetsusaiga was excruciating to his very hands themselves. His knuckles were bloodless and his claws pierced the tattered wrapping around Tetsusaiga's hilt.

He could hear the bow string stretching, stretching, could almost imagine what it would be like to watch that arrow fly. Imagine what it would be like to watch as that arrow hit his love in the heart that he had taken. Imagine-

He hadn't known when he had struck her, but the moment he heard Kagome gasp he knew. He was breathing hard yet he couldn't get any air, his heart was throbbing fast, faster, and yet his head couldn't get the efficient amount of blood.

He looked down at the body of Kikyou, split in two, and suddenly felt extremely dizzy. Looking at Kikyou and at his sword made a flash of an image enter his mind's eyes. Him standing over Kagome who lay just as Kikyou did. He threw it out of his head. The fact that Kikyou and Kagome looked so much a like made looking at Kikyou's finally dead body even more excruciating. To him, it was like looking down at Kagome's still form.

"K-Kikyou..."Once the word left his lips, what was left of her ash and Earth body returned to ash and Earth.

XXXX

Kouga's eye peaked open the moment he realized nothing was cutting into his skin. What happened to Kagura's wind slices? Wasn't he just trying to fend them off with his own body? Acting as a shield for his Yume and Sango's kitten? What he saw caused his other eye to open as well.

Demons, in all shapes and all forms, were spread out before him. Many were missing limbs while others lay at his feet. Realizing he was holding his breath, he inhaled deeply and along with the oxygen came the raw, coppery scent of blood. Demon's blood.Who were the demons?"Hey, you. No the one who isn't missing a limb." Kouga called out to one of the more human looking demons. "Why are you here?"The demon shrugged and smiled humorlessly. "The half-breed helped us so we figured we'd repay him a bit. Kouga, right? Alpha of the Brown Wolves? Well, the half-breed needs your help. We'll fend off the bitch here."Kouga glanced over the mans head at Kagura, who seemed to be a bit enraged. Well, that was an understatement. She was whipping out wind slices as if the day was ending. He nodded and made to pick up Yume, leave the demons fighting the wind bitch, when Yume stirred."Yume? Can you hear me?" Kouga asked urgently, kneeling down and tugging the girl onto his lap gently.  
Yume nodded gently. "Er...what the...hell...happened?"Kouga smiled lopsidedly. "That information will have to wait another day. Right now, the whelp needs our help."Yume started to push herself to stand when her eyes suddenly widened. "I smell...Kagura! And Sango too!" She swung her head about. "Where's Sango?"Shit! Kouga thought harshly. I almost forgot about her! Lying Yume back down on the forest floor, Kouga ran as fast as he could to Sango. She was still leaning against her breaking Hiraikotsu, breathing heavily and sporting a few thin wounds. Kouga scooped her and her weapon up gingerly before racing back to the standing Yume.  
"Come on, Inuyasha and Kagome might need us." Kouga said quickly, leaping an out of control wind slice.Yume nodded and picked up the still unconscious Kirara. "Alright then, what are we waiting for?"  
Kouga turned his head in the direction he felt the suffocating miasma and took in a sharp breath. For some odd reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that today would end the worst of battles and the victory would claim all prizes...

XXXX

A sharp, agonizing pull shook Inuyasha to the point of near madness. All he could think about was the fact that he had actually sent Kikyou to her grave. It wasn't Naraku this time, but him himself. How could he have done that? Wasn't their betrayal enough?He sent her to her grave.  
He did it, not anyone else.  
Him...his sword...and his depleting morals.Another sharp pull brought Inuyasha back from the chasm. This was physical, not emotional. What the...? He could hear, in the back of his mind, screams of pain ? Who was doing the screaming? Him, or maybe Kikyou's soul?But the pain wasn't his. And the only person he was attached to metaphysically was....  
....Kagome.Something was wrong with Kagome! Something horrible, something that might send her to the same place Kikyou dwelled now. And who's fault would that be if a certain someone didn't save her?  
Who's fault would it be but his own?And where would that leave him?He had to find Kagome, now. But where was she? He could feel the pain, the very wrenching of the soul from the husk that was the body, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from. His nose...her scent. That was the only way he would be able to save her.He sniffed the air fiercely and caught the scent of her blood. The very scent enraged him and took away the pain, but it was so thick from her wound that he still couldn't exactly tell. Making his way to the tree in which she had hidden earlier, he found her gone. That wasn't a surprise. It would have been way too easy for him to find her there and rid her of the tormentor. No...but there was a trail. A trail of her own blood worming deeper and deeper into the forest.Something jumped out of the woods, but Inuyasha didn't care. He had something to find. Someone he wouldn't let go no matter what. He had lost too much...and now he was going to savagely and possessively keep what was his.Snarling, Inuyasha disappeared into the brush.

XXXX

Yume and Kouga leaped into the clearing with their burdens in their arms. The heavy scent of miasma choked Sango, but she placed her mask protectively over her face. After a full year of following the dreaded Naraku all over Japan, she had become quite used to his miasma. Well, almost.  
The demons weren't really affected. Yume was busy searching for Inuyasha to really care what was going on and Kouga was searching for anything to fight. Naraku, perched in the tree across the clearing much like the baboon his pelt showed him as, chuckled at the sight of them."It seems I have lost one of my playmates to Kanna, but at least a these three will do for now. Inuyasha will come back when he hears their pathetic screams." All three heads snapped to attention, glaring at Naraku. "Kagura!"Kouga growled hatefully as the wind sorceress landed prettily from her giant feather before them. Oh how he would love to land his claws in that ivory flesh and rip it from the bones....Yume placed her hand once again on Kouga's arm, but this time for comfort and enthusiasm. "Go ahead, have your fun. Just leave a little for me." She whispered with a slightly evil grin.  
Kouga looked at her disbelievingly, then grinned back. This would be fun. He kne

w he didn't need Yume's consent to fight, but it was nice to know she didn't mind. Besides, she was going to join in anyway. Wasn't that what she said? Without waiting another moment, Kouga leaped for Kagura.

"Just me and you now, bitch!"  
"Ku ku ku, whelp."

XXXX

Yume was going to jump in. She really was. She even put Kirara down next to Sango, but something else had caught her attention. She could hear Inuyasha, or smell him, or feel him metaphysically. Whichever it was, she knew something was wrong. It was the same something that happened to her, whatever that was.  
So she left Sango to herself.

She even jumped over the unconscious Miroku after yelling back over her shoulder to Sango that Miroku was there near her. Where the hell was she headed? She had no idea, until the unmistakable scent of Kagome's blood met her nose. Kagome was hurt, bad! And from the bad feeling she had, Kagome was going through much worse than a mere wound.

Passing tree by tree, she entered a small area devoid of grass and tree. It looked as if it had been scorched. Inuyasha was standing in the middle, staring down at a small girl dressed in white. Hmm...she seemed familiar. Wait a second....Yume ducked away before she was caught and circled around the clearing. The girl was holding a broken mirror and Inuyasha was clutching onto an unconscious Kagome. Yume blinked. What had gone on?  
Without waiting, Yume leaped from the woods and aimed at the white girl.

Her claws racked through the girl's body before anyone could notice Yume's arrival. It was so easy...so easy. Rage and a sort of hatred flew through Yume as she killed the little girl in white, but also a sort of sorrow. How could she destroy something so young?

That young thing was murderous, that's why.  
Yume stood to face Inuyasha. She didn't look back at the mess she had made. "Inuyasha...is Kagome...alright?"Inuyasha looked up and Yume was shocked to see the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "I...I think so."It had been years since Yume saw Inuyasha cry in front of someone. Hard to say he hadn't ever cried since his mother died given what he had gone through afterward, but she hadn't seen him. He either hid it very well or he just never cried at all.Yume reached out to take Kagome. "I'll hold her. Naraku is waiting for your arrival." When Inuyasha didn't seem like he was going to give her up, she sighed. "Inuyasha, you have to defeat him or this will continue. This is it, can't you feel it? The end, Inuyasha. Everything ends here. Whether it's us or them, it will end. But we need you there, Inu-Chan."Inuyasha stood slowly, but kept his clutch on Kagome. "I know.""Then what are you dawdling for? I'll keep her safe with my own life, I promise." Inuyasha slowly placed Kagome into Yume's arms, but reluctantly."I'm going to hold you to your promise, bitch. As for Naraku..."Now there's the Inuyasha I know, Yume thought as the flare in Inuyasha's eyes strengthened. It's the one I like to see. When Inuyasha ran off a second later, Yume looked down at the precious bundle she had been given to guard."Well, guess we might as well go help, ne? Just help me keep my promise kid."

XXXX

It took longer than Kouga had thought, but Kagura was finally defeated. Her chest lay in ruins and her face held the expression of one who died in horrible pain. Satisfied, Kouga stepped back and looked up at Naraku."Now that your kids are dead, how about we deal with you?"Naraku clucked. "Cocky, aren't we?" Before Kouga could respond, an annoying buzzing noise filled his ears painfully. "Did you think I'd come unprotected?""Coward.""Ah yes, but a safe coward at that."Kouga snorted, but felt a bit antsy. "Yeah, that's what they all say..."The poison insects buzzed by the hundreds in the air, all guarding their master obsessively. Kouga didn't wish to get stung by them again, remembering quite clearly how they had affected him before, but he couldn't contain his bloodlust.He just wanted to feel more blood on his hands.Inuyasha took that moment to show up. For a second, Inuyasha could see the world as it was before him, but then another image overlapped his vision. The smell of Kagome's blood induced it and brought it on more vividly. The alley. The storm. The blood. The smell of gunpowder. The hum of electricity. And Kagome lying in her own blood. Where was that familiar? How come he could feel himself start to change again?But the people bending over his Kagome was not humans, but Naraku's. A lot of them. Each cackled and grinned and taunted evilly. In his hands, he could feel the Tetsusaiga tremble and pulsate. He could smell the air rip in front of him as well. Should he? And risk taking out the life of a village? Was the village even there, or was he still in that alley?"Well, if it isn't the puppy."Naraku's voice. The Naraku's before him all spoke simultaneously. They grinned and grinned and grinned. Maybe Inuyasha should wipe the grin away.Am I loosing it?  
"Inuyasha...keep...focused!" a voice shouted.Like a life-line to a drowning man, Inuyasha clutched onto the voice and pulled himself up from the clutches of uncontrollable rage and deep insanity. To think he had started to travel down that road again.  
The Tetsusaiga was pulsating in his hands, so that hadn't been part of the dream/reality. Naraku was before him with the baboon cloak off.

And Kagome was calmly speaking to him to help keep his sanity in check. Everything was going like he thought it was. Now all he had to do was defeat the bastard....

But there was something strange happening to Naraku and what remained of Kagura. A black light was circling them...a dark aura with something foul smelling about it...what the hell?Miroku had chosen that moment to come out of his unconsciousness and sat down beside Sango. "What in the seven...hells?! Kami-sama...that things...disgusting!" He commented in a voice hardly above a whisper, but all who was near him had caught it.Before anyone knew what was going on, the black nothingness enveloped the entire clearing, then imploded on itself. All had their arms up to shield from the blackness, but the dark itself didn't affect them. It was the thing protruding from it that caught their undivided attention.A spider looking creature, towering at least fifteen feet above their heads, loomed over the group of mismatched companions. The spider had three heads, each distinctly familiar. Naraku in the middle, Kagura on the right of him, and Kanna on the left. With each head came each power. Naraku's miasma and talent for sending legs out in any direction, Kanna with her ability to not be easily detected, and Kagura with her wind slices. The creature was ugly and the body bigger than the head, but it was also an easier target because of it's size.And besides, no one would be bored or left out of the fight now.  
Kagome, fighting to stay awake in Yume's arms, pointed to the head of Naraku. "In there...the Jewel shards are in...Naraku's head..."Yume smoothed her brow gently. "Good job, Kagome-Chan. Why don't you rest now, okay? We can take care of it from here."Kagome seemed to nod before drifting back into a semi-conscious state. How was Yume to fight when she was sworn to protect the woman-child who stole Inuyasha's heart and soul?The spider creature tested out it's new body slowly. One leg stretched, then the next, and so on and so forth. Shippo, who just seemed to appear, shivered. "H-H-How are w-w-we supposed to beat that t-t-thing?!""Feh," Inuyasha answered. "Just watch, kit."As Inuyasha tried to step forward to take on the creature himself, a hand came out and clasped his shoulder. A very familiar looking hand. "I don't think it would be wise to take the creature on yourself, brother." An extremely familiar, and much hated, voice spoke near Inuyasha's ear."Sesshoumaru! What are you doing here, yarou?!" Inuyasha leapt around and made to bring his sword on his brother, but remembered what was going on and turned back around.Sesshoumaru shrugged very gently. "I am here because of old scores. I would offer my assistance, but I know how you would react and therefore I am not offering. Instead, I intend to help rid the world of this...bastard."Inuyasha snorted. "But I thought you two were all buddy-buddy like earlier?""Don't tempt me to turn the fight onto you, brother. We can settle our score later, if you survive.""Feh, whatever."Kouga stepped up also. "And don't think your forgetting about me, dog-boy."Miroku was standing beside him as well. "I'm not good for much, but I am going to help.""And me too!" Shippo called out, waving frantically though looking positively petrified."And me." Sango was leaning slightly against her Hiraikotsu, which was still almost broken, but she was positively determined.Yume grabbed the kitsune by the tail with one hand while cradling Kagome with the other. "Your not helping anyone but Kagome, okay? I need you to run her to Kaede's. Don't stop anywhere for any reason on the way, got it kit?"Shippo looked relieved for a second, then grew frightened once more. "But what about-"Yume smiled. "The only demons in this forest are the ones that will help you. Now go! And don't stop until you reach Kaede's or Kagome's well, whichever is first in your path. Go, go!"With the precious bundle on it's way to safety, Yume jumped up beside Sango. "And you can count me in too." Inuyasha shot her a look, but she shook her head. "It's okay, Kagome's off to her own home or Kaede's. Shippo's making sure of it.""What? Shippo?""Better than her being here, ne?"Feh."Without warning, a sharp, almost bayoneted spider leg slammed in the middle of the group. Six people jumped in six different directions. When they landed once more, they were surprised to see even more legs aimed at them the moment they touched down and had to dodge once again.The spider youkai was getting faster, becoming more and more used to it's new body. Legs and tentacles were flying in all directions, aimed at the six people trying to get at least one hit in. The jewel, though uncompleted, was helping the creature become accustomed, and become stronger.Wind slices accompanied the tentacles and legs. As if they didn't already have enough trouble....

XXXX  
  
"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango let her boomerang fly at the tentacle aimed at her.

It knocked her boomerang away and Kirara caught it. She ran to her master and scooped her up before the tentacle speared her. Sango thanked her pet numerously as she took her boomerang back, slipped it onto her back once more, then pulled out her sword. If her boomerang wouldn't work, then her sword would. Kirara didn't dare try to test it and kept leaping out of the way when a tentacle came at them.Though wounded still, Kirara kept up her end of the companionship. She kept herself and her master out of serious injury, but also continued to get closer and closer to the three heads. If she could only get her master to Naraku's....Finally Kirara leapt into the air and allowed Sango to try her attack. She watched as a tentacle flew at her and she swiped with her sword. The tentacle fell to the ground and disappeared. She smiled and watched as the heads came closer, ever closer."DIE!"

XXXX

Miroku leaped away from the tentacle aimed at him while his other hand unwrapped the prayer beads from his Kazaan. The poison bees were gone from the air, probably in the spider body for more power.  
Another tentacle sliced down near his feet. Damnit, this was getting dangerous.  
"KAZAAN!" he shouted.He opened up the air rip and watched as one of the spider's legs was ripped savagely from it's body. A few of the tentacles in the radius of the Kazaan were torn and thrown into the rip as well. He smiled, sealed his hand, and leaped away from the slices of wind before they could cut through his person.  
His air rip was all fine and dandy but if he didn't get some help soon he was liable to not make it through the rest of the battle...

XXXX

Inuyasha was becoming more and more furious with each slash that was unable to hit it's target. He didn't want to use Wound of the Winds for everyone else was far to close to him and it would hurt his friends as well. Besides, Naraku had eaten his offspring, which meant he had Kanna's powers. He would just reflect the Wound of the Winds back at him.He slashed once more at the oncoming tentacles as he leapt into the air, towards any which one of the heads. It didn't matter, but he really wanted to get at Naraku's. Sango had failed, but he wasn't going to. He had to get one of them. He slashed at another tentacle savagely, then landed on the spider's hairy body. He was just about to plunge his sword into it's leathery hide when a tentacle burst from the body, right between his legs. He eeped, snarled, and leapt out of the way.It did a U-turn in the air and flew back down towards him. Smirking, an idea flew through Inuyasha's head. Waiting until the last minute, he dove out of the way and heard a howl of pain and rage in four different voices. His plan worked! It's own tentacle sliced deep into it's body! Whooping, then snarling, he leapt again as another tentacle emerged from underneath his feet. This time, a boomerang pierced it and cut through savagely.Inuyasha turned his head and saw Sango. He waved before jumping off the hide of the youkai and landing back down on the ground. He had a better chance of attack from there. And he knew what he wanted to do.  
"SANKON TETSOU!" He yelled, jumping into the air towards the heads once again. His attack sliced into the tentacles that tried to stop him and he smiled as he neared the heads. "BASTARDS!"

XXXX  
  
Kouga had his own problems to deal with. He was defending himself from at least four different tentacles, all with the same command. Kill. He kept slashing through them, daring to take a few glances at his beloved mate, then watching as more took the dead ones places. He snarled to himself, until he saw what was going on out of the corner of his eye.

Yume was leaping again, trying to avoid five different attacks. In her arms was a hurt Kirara, devoid of her master who was helping Miroku keep his life. One spider leg was after her, along with four different tentacles, each as sharp as a spear.

She couldn't get a window to attack or defend herself. Instead, she leapt, did a few backflips, and continued to avoid them. That was, until she miscalculated and fell.

Kouga watched in horror as the tentacles and the leg backed up and aimed down. Yume, not worried about her own safety, threw the cat-demon as far as she could, then put her arms up in front of her, as if to fend the attack off. It wasn't going to work.He watched as the Hiraikotsu flew towards the tentacles and destroyed them, but the leg, spear like, kept going. Kouga bellowed in rage, fighting off the tentacles madly, trying to get to Yume, but it was too late.  
The leg slammed hard into her right shoulder, slamming her into the crater it made. She howled in pain, sounding so sorrowful, as more tentacles flew at her.

They slammed into various parts of her body, missing her head, but slamming into both her legs, her stomach, and finally her chest and arms. Kouga couldn't watch anymore, his eyes grew lifeless and he didn't even realize that the tentacles had stopped coming at him.

"No, Yume!" Sango yelled as the tentacles fell away from her body and disappeared.

"No, Yume!"

Sango's words reverberated through Kouga's head. It was the only thing he could hear. He couldn't see, he couldn't breath, he couldn't think. Yume was dead. He was sure of it. How could she have survived being sliced up like a demon shikabob?He could smell the thick scent of her blood. It was as if he was inhaling pea soup, but with a more coppery raw taste. There was no thoughts entering his head nor could he feel his own body. They had a word for that somewhere. Shock. Total and complete horrid shock.His Yume was dead.He could feel it on the metaphysic line he shared with her. Her soul, her life force....it was gone. There was nothing left but the body, a mere husk discarded.No, he wouldn't let her go. Not like this, not like this. He hadn't even finished marking her as his own, he hadn't finished settling down yet. No! She wasn't gone! She couldn't be! She promised to be with him forever, allowed him to give her the first mark! They went to the Festival together for Kami-sama's sake!  
Kouga slowly started to walk towards the crater in which Yume lay. He gulped repetitively. He was so sure what he would find, but he didn't want to find it. Though his mouth was full of water and his eyes were as well, his throat was completely dry.He neared the edge of the crater and looked down into the hole.  
Inuyasha humped and landed hard on the ground. Naraku's head lay in his hands and the other two's were rolling about on the ground. It was hard, but he had neared the heads without permanent injury.Glancing down at his side, Inuyasha grunted lightly. One of the tentacles had slashed through his haori and clipped the skin. It was painful, but he'd taken worse. Swinging the Tetsusaiga harshly to get the blood off, he watched the spider body topple and fall.Expecting to hear shouts of victory, Inuyasha turned on his heel. But no one was shouting. No one was even looking at the dead Naraku spider youkai. They're attention was stuck at a crater where a few of the severed legs were sticking up like needles in a pincushion. Why were they looking over there? He wondered agrivatedly. Shouldn't they be happy?But the scent of blood turned his blood cold. Suddenly pale and weak, he stumbled through his comrades, pushing if he had to. He felt two pairs of hands try to grab him and keep him back, but pulled away savagely.The first sight that came to him was Kouga on his knees next to the crater. He could smell through the blood Kouga's salty tears. It was quiet enough to hear the wretched sobs emitting from the alpha wolf as well. Inuyasha wondered only for a moment why Kouga was crying, then he caught sight of the body in the crater.

Yume was mangled. She looked worse than any image Inuyasha's mind could come up with. The crater she was in was streaked with her own blood and more, darker blood was still spewing from her wounds. Half her face was covered with blood while the other was as clean as it had been earlier, but deathly pale.

To see his saviour when he was younger in such a state made Inuyasha's stomach heave and tears spring to his eyes.

"No...Yume-Chan...not you too.." Inuyasha muttered quietly. "First my father, then my mother, then after that Kikyou...now you?"Everyone I ever loved had been taken from me. Everyone that ever accepted me for me has died. Does that mean Kagome will fall to the same fate? Inuyasha's claws dug fiercely into the Earth. Does this mean everyone close to me will die?

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CLIFFY! No worries tho, I'm not one to kill off my own characters...

Or am I?...(Evil laugh)


	15. The Wish

A/N: Double update, ppl, whoot. I really wanted to get this chapter out during the weekend so I can focus all my brain power on being miserable at school. (Sigh) Anyway I appreciate the people who reviewed my last chapter:

Demondragon: Yup! I have most of it posted on there.

Blackcoat-245: I I I I I I I I I Will will will will will will!!!!!!

Gem Gamgee: Lol, I hate reading cliffies but I love writing them!

Iunyasha'smistress: Totally classic lineâ:)

Inuyashafreak32: Don't start a riot over it! :) Thx, I try!

Naito-Kage: Aww, don't feel sad, they'll get back together! (Oops, let's just keep that our little secret) (wink) lol

Also thx to: maidenmikokagome, topgal, and Kaylin a.k.a. Inu! Huggles to u people and don't forget to R&R!!!

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Sango couldn't along look any longer. She hadn't known Yume like the two demons did, but she had fought side the wolf-demon. Yume had been Kagome's friend and helper and any friend of Kagome's was a friend of Sango's.

Miroku was still standing next to her, silent. He was probably praying. Without thinking she put her head against his shoulder and burst into tears. Stunned, though not at all shocked or surprised, Miroku put his arm around Sango and held her close. It was the only thing he could do.

No words would make any of what had happened any better.

But something caught Miroku's eye. He had been about to go back to praying when he saw it sparkle. The Shikon no Tama. The jewel they had been searching the last year and a half for. It wasn't complete yet because Kouga still had a few shards and Kagome had the rest, but it was there. I wonder..."Inuyasha, the Shikon-""No!"Miroku turned his head to see who had gasped. Kagome, leaning against her bow, had entered the clearing and her face was ghostly white. Her eyes were locked on what was Yume and her jaw trembled slightly. Without warning, Kagome collapsed.Inuyasha was at her side instantly. "K-Kagome! What are you...doing out here?"

Kagome winced slightly. "That was Yume, wasn't it? Oh Kami-sama....it really was Yume...Yume's dead..."

The sound of hysteria, much known since the days of the cave incident, weren't lost by Inuyasha and he clutched her close. "Shhh...Kagome...my Kagome..."Miroku looked back over at the Shikon no Tama lying innocently on the ground before once again calling Inuyasha's attention. By that time, Sesshoumaru was gently rolling the half-finished tama in his hands."Brother, wasn't this what you were fighting for?" Sesshoumaru asked.  
Inuyasha snarled. "Yes, give it here!"Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly. "Don't worry, I have no use for it. As for that girl...Yume was it?"

He walked over nonchalantly towards the crater and looked down. "Do you remember the swords our father gave to us? The Tetsusaiga and the Tetseiga?"

XXXX

Sesshoumaru sighed. He hated weakness and here Inuyasha's group was, showing their weaknesses. Even the alpha Kouga was crying. He could see Kouga shedding a few tears, but not Inuyasha.

Inuyasha wasn't mated to the bitch so why was he crying?

Tetseiga trembled in it's sheath the closer he got to the dead wolf-demon. The sword was almost begging him to use it on the girl. Usually, he listened to his sword. That's how he had found Rin and he had taken quite a liking to the little girl.

She was innocent and carefree...much like Yume had been. Oh yes, he had known Yume years ago. But that...was years ago.

"I could use the Tetseiga to bring Yume back, Inuyasha, but for a price."

Inuyasha stood and tried staring him down. How childish... "What price, yarou?"

"I've heard the stories of this tama, how it grants the holder it's ultimate desire. I have also heard you have taken a human for your mate, correct? Much like our dear father.." Sesshoumaru's eyes thinned.

"The price is this: you forfeit your demon half today and live like the humans you love so much."

The look on Inuyasha's face had been enough to make Sesshoumaru happy for the rest of his life. It was a torn look, a suddenly stunned expression. Comical, almost. But then the expression turned serious and the white head nodded slowly."Alright. You bring Yume back and I'll forfeit my demon half. But I also have my terms, brother. You stay away from me and all my friends for as long as their lines survive. You also keep your hands away from the Tetsusaiga."Sesshoumaru grinned; a small upturn of his lips. "Fine, you have my word. I'll stay away from your human friends and yourself. I won't try to take the Tetsusaiga any longer. But, I must be here to see the ceremony. As for Yume..."

The Tetseiga throbbed as he pulled the sword out of its sheath.

He looked the sword up and down for a few moments. It was glowing a pale blue color and throbbed like it had it's own heartbeat. This was what it was made for, bringing back the dead. Hopefully all the talking hadn't made bringing Yume back impossible.

Without any hesitation, he slashed her body numerous times. He didn't have to worry about the tentacles or the spider leg sticking out of her body; Naraku's spider body was disappearing. After administrating the life giving slashes, Tetseiga was again resheathed and Sesshoumaru was staring patiently at Inuyasha. He tossed the Shikon no Tama into his hands."She'll wake in a couple of minutes. As you can see, she's completely healed."

Sesshoumaru stepped away as Kouga entered the crater and picked up Yume's blood drenched body. "I've kept my end of the bargain and now it's time to keep yours."

XXXX

Kagome came around in time to hear the little conversation between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. But she hadn't really heard what was being said, only that Yume was once again alive and well.

For a second there, she really wished she could jump up and hug Sesshoumaru for his act of kindness, but then remembered who he was.

The words slowly seeped back into her mind. Inuyasha...forfeit demon half...so that means he becomes human? Now Kagome understood! Her jaw dropped in amazement.

Inuyasha was going to become human! Full blown human! He was going to give up becoming a demon and become human...!

But she wasn't sure if she should be happy or concerned.Inuyasha had promised Kikyou he'd become human, but Kikyou was back in her grave. Inuyasha had promised himself he'd become full demon, but was now being forced to become human. Was this what he really wanted? Probably not, but he had to keep one of his promises to someone."Inuyasha...?" Kagome breathed, looking up into Inuyasha's serious face. "Are you sure...you want to be human?"Inuyasha looked back down at her and the serious expression softened considerably. "Yes, Kagome. If I'm going to be with you, I have to be human, right? Your mother wouldn't really want her daughter being married to a half-demon." He flashed her an "everything's-alright" smile. "She'd probably appreciate me being human.""Inuyasha, my mother doesn't care and neither do I."

Tears threatened Kagome's eyes. "I know it's part of the bargain you and Sesshoumaru now have, but do you really want this?"

Suddenly, Inuyasha shook his head. "Not really, not for me. But it'd be easier to live a life in your world by being human all the time." He sighed heavily.Kagome's hand reached up and caressed his cheek. "We don't have to live in my world, Inuyasha..."Sesshoumaru raised a brow. "I'm waiting, brother."Inuyasha growled back. "I know." He brought his face once more to Kagome. "Please clean the tama, make it whole, and give it to me, Kagome.""Inuyasha...""Please...just do this."Kagome nodded slowly and reached out to take the jewel. "O-Okay..." She sat up slowly in Inuyasha's arms and looked over at Kouga. "May I have your shards, Kouga? I need them to complete the tama."Kouga nodded from where he sat clutching Yume's form. Without hesitating, he reached into his own arm and pulled out the shard, then grabbed the two still in his legs. Blood pouring freely from the wounds, he handed the bloodied shards to Kagome.She took them slowly, not bothered by the sight of his blood or the feel of it on her fingers. She had seen worse only moments earlier.The tama glowed under her pure touch. She had purified the huge chunk that had been in Naraku himself. This was one of the reasons why Inuyasha hadn't finished marking her; she needed to be a maiden for this part of the journey.Placing her own shards together with the rest of the tama, she placed her hands around them and concentrated hard. This was something taught to her from Kaede herself. The old, kind woman must have known Kagome would be doing this herself, far away from her.

Focusing all her energy into bringing the shards together was slowly draining her of what was left. She wasn't sure if she passed out during the ritual, but she opened her eyes to see hands touching her shoulders and her back.

She could feel the amount of energy the hands were giving her, enough to finish the ritual and still have enough energy to go through the day. Enough to make the pain in her side die down to a mere throb.

When she opened her hands for the second time, the whole Shikon no Tama shone back at her.This was the end. This was what they had all been fighting for. This was their motivation and now...they had it.She dropped the small sphere into Inuyasha's hands. "Do with it what you must, Inuyasha, I give it to you."Kagome had stood up after that and moved a bit away from him, nearer to Sango and Kouga with Yume. All eyes were on Inuyasha and his were on the tama. This was what his whole life had been for, mostly.

This moment. But he didn't want to be demon anymore, nor did he want to be human.

He just wanted to be....himself. Kagome loved him as he was and he wanted to stay that way.

But he had a deal to complete.

Holding the tama out before him, he stood. He could feel the eyes of the others on him, curious, awed, and arrogant. Sesshoumaru, of course, was the arrogant bastard. Of course he'd love to see his brother go full human and give up his demon side. Fine, bastard. You want to see it, then your going to see it.He made to voice his desire to the tama, but it must have read his mind for it started to glow and shake uncontrollably. He held it for a few moments before his hand closed on nothing and a cold feeling enveloped him.

He shivered harshly and fell to the ground. All sight, all thought, and all hearing left him. He was alone in a world of darkness, but he could feel. Hands were on him, tugging him, helping him lay down, but other than that he was in his own head.

Then the cold was gone and he could see again. It took longer for his hearing to come back, but he could see. Kagome, concerned and looking scared, was looking down at him. Yume was awake, but pale, and her hands were caressing his head. Kouga was behind her, hands on her shoulders and expression overprotective.

"Wha...wha...what happened?" Inuyasha mumbled.Kagome's eyes filled with tears and she forced a smile. "Your human, Inuyasha. Full blown human."Okay so he was human, but why was Kagome glowing? "Kagome...? Why are you...glowing?""Hmm?" Kagome looked at her arm, blinked, and shook her head. "I...I don't know. What did you wish for?""Just to be...human.."Sesshoumaru appeared above him suddenly, like a bad dream. For once in his life, Inuyasha saw a full-blown smile on his brother's face. "Good bye brother. We've made our bargain and we've kept our promises. I doubt we'll meet again.""Good," Inuyasha grumbled. He sat up with a bit of help from Yume. "Glad to see you out of my life, yarou."Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "The feeling is mutual."

For a second, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha locked eyes, then both looked away quickly.

Inuyasha watched the back of Sesshoumaru's head as the full demon walked off. He sat back into Kagome's arms, who took the place of Yume's, and smiled."Phew, glad that's over. Damn, I'm so fucking tired..."Yume stood and stretched, turning around to envelop Kouga in a hug before looking back at Inuyasha. "It's not over yet, kid. You make a pretty cute human, Inuyasha." She smiled sweetly when Kouga growled. "Don't worry, I don't intend to leave you again, Kouga.""Good, because I won't let you go."

Kouga's arms tightened around her body with an almost crushing force. Yume would have given a wise crack about it, or had laughed, if it had been a laughing matter. Instead, she clutched him back.

A second later, she felt warm tears trickle onto her neck. Yume blinked furiously. "You're...you're crying... Kouga, I'm so sorry..."

XXXX  
  
Kagome kissed the tip of Inuyasha's nose and one of her tears dripped onto his forehead. She wiped it away clumsily. Inuyasha's hand came up to wipe her tears away before they could fall, but it was in vain for more tears always took their place.

"Don't cry, Kagome. It's not all that bad. I still have you."

She grabbed onto his hand and nuzzled it against her cheek. "You'll always have me, Inuyasha and I don't think it's all that bad. But...you so badly wanted to be a full demon..."

Inuyasha shook his head. "No, I just wanted to be me. You didn't care if I was human or demon. You loved me for both halves and I wanted to stay the way I was."Either Kagome didn't have anything to say, or she didn't want to say it because she didn't answer. She just smiled and kissed the tip of his nose again. She couldn't be sad for him; he wasn't sad for himself. They were still together, at least.

And now Inuyasha could live in her time, if he still wanted to. That reminded her....she still had a lot of explaining to do with her mother.

But all that could wait another day. They had just defeated Naraku, the greatest enemy they had. The least the group could do was celebrate at Kaede's. Maybe the whole village would celebrate with them.Someone tumbled into the clearing and all heads turned to see the visitor. It was a demon, a smiling human looking snake demon. Behind that demon came more and with those demons came humans.

The little boy Kagome had been talking to before all seven hells had broken loose was with them. A girl who looked like his sister had an arm draped on his shoulder.

"Rahari!" Kagome gasped joyfully. "Thank goodness your alive!"The boy nodded. "Yup. Our village survived and so did many of our neighbours and friends and it's all thanks to you people. Rahari bowed and his sister followed. "Thank you, very much."From behind him, one by one, the rest of the group bowed deeply as well. Shocked, the group looked on, then looked at each other. Finally, the village people stood straight and smiled happily.A rather old man, who Inuyasha recognised as a priest, made his way forward. "Your names will go down in history and your deeds, in legend. On this spring day for years to come, our village will mark your accomplishments with a festival in your honour." The man smiled and spread his arms widely, as if to embrace them. "Please, tell us your names warriors.""Inuyasha.""Kagome.""Sango and this is Kirara.""Shippo!""Where did you come from Shippo?""Ehehee...""Miroku.""Kouga.""Yume."

"Myoga."

Inuyasha swatted the flea furiously. "Coming at the most convenient of times, eh Myoga? Right after the danger is over!""Eck...Lord Inuyasha...I..."swat!The old man chuckled softly. "Ah, Inuyasha the half-breed turned human, Kagome the priestess, Sango the Taiyojin and her cat-demon Kirara, Shippo the young kitsune, Miroku the priest, Kouga the alpha of the Brown Wolves, Yume the Outcast of the White Mountain Wolves, and Myoga the Coward."

He chuckled again, harder. "Such a group to be heroes, and yet your bonds outlasted all obstacles, even the mental ones. Come, my friends. Come rest at our village. We celebrate this most memorable of nights."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who's head still rested in her lap. "Inuyasha...I really need to get home and explain everything to my family."Inuyasha rose uncertainly, but found his footing a moment later. "I'll take you home in the morning. Tonight we party and rest." He helped her stand and smiled

lopsidedly. "Your mother is going to have my head when she sees your wound." His hand cupped over her wound very gently.

She winced despite his gentle actions. "I know, but I can't keep her waiting. Besides, I'm going to need future medical attention. Kaede is good at what she does...but I still need my home world for a wound like this..."Inuyasha nodded. "Tomorrow, Kagome. Too many demons will be out tonight and with me like this..." He sighed. "Tomorrow, please."Kagome swallowed, but nodded. "Alright. We'll head out tomorrow."Miroku walked up to the two with a huge smile on his face. He held up his hand and the smile grew even wider. Kagome looked at him curiously, then her own smile erupted onto her face. Without warning, she threw herself into Miroku's arms and hugged him close."Your Kazaan! Miroku, your cured!" she cried happily.Miroku laughed wholeheartedly before hugging her back and letting her go. "Ah yes, proof Naraku is finally dead and gone."Kagome couldn't stop grinning now. "Did you show Sango yet?"Miroku shook his head. "Not yet. She's been talking with Shippo."

"Go show her! This is a moment to be celebrated to, Miroku!"

Miroku smiled and affectionately touched the top of her head with his right hand. "You're right, I should celebrate this. I'll meet you guys back at the village!"Kagome waved before heading back to Inuyasha. He had a jealous look on his face, but at least he didn't try to fight Miroku. Maybe having him human wasn't all that bad, no not at all. With a smile, she reached up and tweaked his invisible ears."I'm going to miss those," she whispered.Inuyasha smirked. "Not for long you won't."She stared at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

He pressed his lips close to her ear. "I didn't wish to become human."

Her eyes widened. "Then what did you wish for?"

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	16. Blah Go find your own title!

A/N: 'Loha peeps! Longer time, huh? (Sheepish grin) I HAVE OVER 200 REVIEWS! Good God thank-you all! (Does the Miss America wave) Lol, huggles to all my beloved reviews, THAAAAAAAANKYOU!!! (Blows kisses) Chow!!

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The feel of his breath against her ear was sending shivers down her spine. He must have felt it because he smirked and gently nibbled at her earlobe before answering."I can switch back from half-demon to human, but not to full demon. I didn't want to lose any part of myself so I did the only thing I could think of. Now I can go with you in your time if you want or you can stay here with me."Kagome's eyes filled with tears again. She wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's neck and pressed her lips to his ear much like he had done to her. "It's all up to you where we stay. As long as I tell my family what's going on, I don't mind staying in either time period. Infact, I think I'd much rather stay in this one."Inuyasha's eyes widened. "You mean it?"She nodded. "Of course. Just like I said earlier, after the incident in the alley; I want to be with you here."Kagome could feel his happiness flow into herself and smiled warmly. His arms around her made her feel so secure, so at home. How could she go back to a normal life after what had happened in this time period?

How could she go back and learn when all she'd be able to think about was her old life, the one she would have left behind if she went back to her own time? She wouldn't be able to, couldn't. She'd have no regrets staying in the past, with the exception that she'd miss her school friends. Maybe she'd even miss her regular life, but she'd never regret anything she had ever done.

"Tomorrow, we make plans with your mother."  
Kagome nodded. "Of course."The night had been spent wildly. Miroku, Inuyasha, Yume, Kouga, and even Shippo drank sake until Kagome reached over and snatched the bottle. It was hillarious to watch Shippo try and take the bottle back while teetering and yelling furious curses. After a few stern words, Shippo calmed down. Four minutes later, he passed out.The village of demons, half-demons, and humans spent the whole night celebrating and honoring those who lived and those who died. Drinks were passed around, Miroku had to be tamed by a furious (yet equally drunk) Sango, Shippo lay unconcious near a tree, Kirara clucked and mewed happily, Yume and Kouga ran off while howling extaticly, and Inuyasha and Kagome fell asleep against one another near dawn. The festival went on without the ones who were missing.When the sun finally rose, many of the villagers were either passed out or deep in sleep. No one wanted to wake, not even the children to romp and play, but Inuyasha and Kagome had to. The moment the sunlight touched Kagome's eyes, she groaned and sat up slowly. Her wound still hurt horribly, but Kaede had helped the pain. Her bond with Inuyasha helped her also.Gently touching the black haired, human Inuyasha, Kagome whispered softly into his ear. "Wake up sleepy head, we have a mother to talk to."Inuyasha growled more human like than threatening and tried to roll over on his side. Kagome tapped him and he peeked open an eye. "Alright, alright, I'm up." He growled, but a smile tugged at his lips.Kagome caught the smile and playfully cuffed his shoulder. "The faster we get there, the faster we can get it over with and come back." She started to stretch deliciously, arching her back and throwing her arms as far above her head as they could go. When Inuyasha growled realistically, she grinned and turned back to him.  
Inuyasha's wish had come true. He could switch from human to half-demon just by willing it. What Kagome was looking at now was a half-demon Inuyasha and he had a devious look in his eye. It made her grin.When Kagome looked at him innocently, he growled and stood up, white hair dressing him like a cape. "Guess we should leave," He flashed her a toothy smile. "And after that, I have something to show you." He then scratched his head sheepishly. "That is, if I still have a head left."Kagome smiled slightly, her hand inching towards her throbbing side. "Momma won't be that hard on you. You did save my life."Before Inuyasha could answer, someone groaned at his feet. Inuyasha looked down and raised a brow. "Miroku? Sango?" He grinned evily at the sight of the two sake-induced hangover sufferers. "Had a...er...tough night?"Sango's eyes snapped open and she caught sight of herself as well as the priests messed up robes. He was missing his outer robe, but his under was still on. On the other hand, Sango was wearing the missing outer robe. Beneath, she was as bare as a newborn.  
"ACK!" She screeched, clutching the robes closer. "Wha...what happened Miroku?!"  
Before Miroku could retort, a broken boomerrang slammed into his head. "Ah...ah...ah..."  
Sango stuck her nose in the air. "I hope you enjoyed it, hentai, because it's not happening again."From the crater his body had made, Miroku grinned. "That's not what you said last nig-"  
Kagome winced slightly as the boomerrang came down with even more force than Sango had ever given it. She looked embarrassed and yet...there was a gleam in her eye. Despite the hangover and the constant smashings, Miroku continued to smile."Don't worry Sango. Nothing happened. You puked on your clothing so I offered my outer robe and a woman took you into her house to change." Miroku explained. "If anything else had happened....I don't remember it."Sango let out a loud, half-hearted sigh before gazing up at Kagome. "Where are you heading off to, Kagome?"Kagome smiled widely. "I have to tell my family everything, from begining to end. I may take a while, but Inuyasha and I'll be back."Sango nodded. "Alright," Her gaze then switched from Kagome to Inuyasha and her jaw dropped. "I-Inuyasha! Your half-demon again!"Inuyasha, arms crossed and as defiant as ever, grinned. "Took you that long to notice? Like I would really listen my fucking bastard of a brother and become fully human forever. How would I protect Kagome while being such a weakling?"Still astonished, Sango shook her head slowly and a smile crept back. Inuyasha could act like an idiot, but he was smarter than he looked. Sango was glad Inuyasha and Kagome established their relationship. Now if only she could establish her own without murdering her lover first....Miroku, favoring the enormous bumps on his head, grinned devilishly. "Has anyone seen Kouga or Yume?"  
Kagome looked around curiously. "No, I haven't seen them since last night."  
Inuyasha shrugged and recrossed his arms. "Feh, probably off having breakfast somewhere."  
"Well, no matter. They'll be back soon enough. Don't you have someone to talk to, Kagome, Inuyasha?" Sango questioned, smiling.Kagome nodded and, with a smile, turned to Inuyasha. "Ready?"Inuyasha grinned. "As ready as I'll ever be."And reminiscent of old times, Kagome climbed aboard Inuyasha's back and clung tightly while the half-breed took all the care in the world to keep Kagome's wounds comfortable.  
  
Yume gazed at Kouga affectionately. They decided to leave the group for a while and get reacquainted with Kouga's wolf pack. They welcomed Yume with open arms despite her past. Though there weren't very many females in Kouga's pack, they didn't mind her being there.Kouga had taken the Marking into his own hands. They were both old enough, it seemed. And as usual for an alpha male, he had taken control of the situation. Yume sacrificed her free will to her mate only for that one night.Marking complete, both now carried each other's scents. Yume wasn't just Yume anymore, but a mix of herself and Kouga and it worked vice versa as well. As it worked out, Yume gained female alpha title and those who were still uncertain about her weren't uncertain any longer. She was Kouga's mate and she always would be.Kouga was still sleeping on the hay which counted for their bed. His head was above hers, but she could see his face if she krinked her neck a bit. Despite all that had happened, they managed to dress before the night had been completely over. The den didn't have very much privacy.Though she didn't want to disturb him, Yume desperately wished for a bath. Gently unwrenching herself from his grasp, she slid off the hay bed and quietly tip toed out of the huge den. When the light of the morning greeted her, she smiled warmly and stretched as deliciously as Kagome had earlier.The turmulent sound of the water fall caught her attention. That was what she wanted, a shower. Something to take the ache out of her bones and the memories of her own death. There wasn't much that she remembered, but she did remember the intense loneliness. It was something she was hoping to forget.She bent her legs to bound towards the waterfall when she felt a hand grab her wrist. "Why are you up so early, Yume?" A rough voice asked.Yume smiled and clicked her claws against themselves, careful not to let her instincts overwhelm her. She turned around slowly and cocked her head. "I thought a nice dip in the waterfall would be a soothing experiance after a day like yesterday and a night like last night." Her words caused a blush to taint Kouga's tan face. "Of course, if you'd like to join me..."Kouga's face went from mischeviousness to rage and he twirled around suddenly. "Ginta! Don't you have somewhere to be?!"  
Ginta, gulping, jumped up from his hiding place and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Er...well...yeah. But I thought you might have wanted to know that Kagome and Inuyasha were spotted at an ancient well."Kouga growled dangeriously. "Why would I want to know that?""Er..I...er...I got to go! Sorry to bother you, Kouga!" With that, Ginta ran off before his pack leader could vent his rage.Kouga made to go after him, but Yume gently touched his arm. "Don't. He thought he was doing you a favor." When Kouga seemed to calm down a bit, Yume put her finger on her chin thoughtfully "I wonder what those two are up to?"He shrugged. "Who knows?"Yume grinned and leaned into her hip. "Don't you want to make sure they're not getting into any trouble? Inuyasha is human after all."Kouga shook his head and his eyes had the same devilish look they had taken the night before. "He won't get into any trouble, but I think it's time we did."  
Yume laughed heartily. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, mate, but..."  
The sound of the pounding waterfall caught her undivided attention and she bounded off towards it. Kouga watched her go curiously."...you gotta be able to catch me first!"Inuyasha wasn't sure what to think. Despite being able to change into a human, which he was doing at the moment, he was so sure Kagome's mother would kill him. Her daughter was wounded and badly. Would she blame it all on Inuyasha's lack of protection?  
Would she understand if Inuyasha told her why he hadn't been able to keep her fully out of harm's way?Kagome was bounding lightly up the stairs, but each step she took had a limp in it. He could feel the pain she was putting herself through. He even took most of it and still she was hurting badly. Kami-sama, he himself could hardly bring himself to stand within the measure of her pain while in human form.Kagome's mother opened the door and squeeled in delight at the sight of her daughter. It was had been a while and with the rumors running around that Kagome had been in some massacre downtown....her mother had been rightfully worried. Kagome beckoned Inuyasha inside and he followed obediantly.Her mom sat them all down at the table. Souta and grandpa were out at the movies watching Rurouni Kenshin. It was a favorite of Souta's. So they had the entire house to themselves. Kagome's mom made cookies and they each shared a plate full. Inuyasha didn't have an appetite (which was very unusual though not commented on) and Kagome and her mom exchanged a full conversation.Then, Kagome slipped it in.  
"In the Sengoku Jidai era, Inuyasha, the group, and I just defeated the most evil of demons called Naraku. Kikyou, my ancestor, shot me with an arrow and now I have a huge wound in my side that may still need treatement besides Kaede's work. Oh yeah, and did I mention that Inuyasha and I are...in demon's terms...married? Mom, can you pass me the cookie plate?" Kagome asked conversationally, reaching for the plate despite asking her mother for it.Inuyasha choked on his cookie and shot Kagome's mother nervious glances. When the piece of cookie he had swallowed whole exploded from his mouth and into his hand, he took a deep, choppy breath and tried to reassess the situation. Kagome looked calm, Kagome's mother looked as if she had just seen a monster with fourteen ugly heads, and Inuyasha was sure his heart had entered his throat.For a second, a thick tension filled the air. And then..."Kagome...please explain that to me again." Kagome's mother asked quietly.  
Kagome gulped and for a second Inuyasha could feel her uncertain nerviousness. "Well, we won the final battle against Naraku yesterday and finished the Shikon no tama-"  
"I know that part, just continue to the demon terms."Kagome gulped again. "Er...well...you see mom...Inuyasha and I are married in demon terms. They had this giant festival for those who were originally marked..."Inuyasha listened to the most vivid retelling of the past few weeks with a slow mind. He was just waiting for the cookie plate to suddenly up and slice off his head. The death looks Kagome's mother was giving him were enough to make him wish he was invisible. Averting his eyes from hers, he listened to the end of the story and gently took Kagome's hand, for his comfort and for her.The silence that spread into the room was enough to drive the young couple insane. Kagome's mother seemed to be pondering and assessing the situation, going over each event carefully before passing on to the next one. When she finally did speak, the couple jumped.  
"I hope you have means of supporting my daughter properly, Inuyasha." Kagome's mother stated quietly and the tears rising in her eyes weren't hard to miss.Inuyasha nodded while letting out a quiet sigh of relief. He was going to live another day! Kagome beside him stiffened, then relaxed and let out a cry of joy.  
"Mom, your really going to be okay with this?" Kagome asked tearily.Her mother nodded very, very slowly. "I'm okay with it...on one condition. I don't want to leave you, Kagome. Your my oldest, my only daughter." She then turned to Inuyasha. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to come stay with you.""Er...mom?" Kagome asked uncertaintly. "Are you sure? You have a job here, a place to stay, and a family to keep up with... How will Souta and grandpa get along without you?"  
Her mother chuckled behind a cupped hand. "I won't leave them behind. This is all if you two lovebirds don't mind..?"Inuyasha shook his head, stunned. "No, I don't mind..."Kagome smiled radiantly. "As long as your okay with this, mom. But you should know, it is pretty dangerous in the Sengoku Jidai.."Her mother suddenly turned serious and Kagome winced slightly. This wasn't going to be good. "We need to get you to a hospital if your wound is as bad as you say it is. And while we're there, your going to explain to me what happened in the alley way while you were out with your friends." Her usual warm eyes turned cold. "They found a gang of torn...torn...people in the middle of the alley. Eri, Shizuku, and even Hamuri was babbling senslessly to the cops. They told me you weren't there, that they had wandered there aimlessly. I want to know what happened, and I want to know the truth."Kagome winced, but nodded apprehensively. "O-Okay momma, I'll tell you. But first, the hospital."Kagome's mother nodded and rose steadily. "Alright Kagome, Inuyasha. Let's go."  
Knowing he wasn't out of danger yet, Inuyasha pulled Kagome close to him and whispered in her ear. "What's a "hospital"?"  
  
Yume wasn't really going to outdodge Kouga for long, she just wanted to toy with him. It was fun to play with him. The pure chase alone made her heart pump and her adrenaline rise. It was gratifying to know that Kouga would play with her as well as be serious with her.She turned around to see how far Kouga was behind her when she smelt something strange on the air. At first, she couldn't place what it could be. Concerned and curious, she slowed down to little more than a crawl and sniffed the air a bit more tentatively.  
The smell came again and before she could try to place it, she was tackled from behind.  
Kouga's joy of running and catching his "prey" was almost enough to make Yume forget about that peculiar scent. But then, she felt Kouga's arms around her tense, his chest moving in shallow breaths as his own sensative nose tested the air.Yume turned her head and started to sniff as well. "What do you...think it is?"  
Kouga growled and sat up slowly, Yume still protectively in his arms. "It doesn't smell demon, but it doesn't smell human either."Feeling Kouga's curiosity, worry, and hatred for having something barge into his territory without asking, Yume stood up awkwardly. "Are we going to check it out?" She asked lightly, and a playful smile touched her lips despite her slight unease.Kouga nodded, but he didn't share her frivolity. She watched him curiously as the feeling of possessiveness started to overcome her playfulness. It was a wolf's nature to be possessive, and Kouga was no exception. Yume herself was starting to get angry, possessive even, the closer she got to her mate.With a small, cocky smile, Yume stood beside Kouga and nodded twice. "Well, what are we waiting for? We've got a trespasser to catch!"Sniffing the air again, Kouga grinned before turning to Yume. "First one who finds him wins."  
"Your on!"It took Kagome fourty minutes to explain a hospital to Inuyasha and by then she was already being looked over by the doctor. He kept asking questions that made no sense to the doctors and nurses he was asking. Especially when he asked the doctor stitching up Kagome why the heart monitor machine was blinking green magic lines.Kagome's mother was sitting across from her patiently, but with a stern look in her eye. Her mother was known for her patience, but when there was something so horrible as what had happened in the alley, she wouldn't be patient for long.So when the doctor and nurse left and said Kagome was good to go, her mother finally asked what had gone on.  
But Inuyasha didn't want to hear it.  
Standing, Inuyasha walked out as fast as he could. He didn't want to leave Kagome standing there with nothing to say, or be awkward, but he didn't want to hear what he had done to those humans. He couldn't remember much at all, but what he could remember was the scent of blood and the sight of Kagome...  
"Inuyasha!"Ignore her, he thought unhappily. Wait until she's done talking to her mother about it. But when Kagome got no answer, she yelled out again. "Inuyasha! Come back, please!"

XXXX

(Gasp) Inuyasha you coward!! Yes I know, there are a BUNCH of mistakes in there, but I'm in a rush, so try not to flame me!

Yes...Tempting button isn't it? :)


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